northernmost

Cold Colours Paints the "Northernmost" Night Sky

northernmost

A lot can happen in 20 years. An infant can, assuming all goes more or less as well as it possibly can, progress through a relatively healthy childhood, emerge victorious from the struggles of adolescence, and find themselves rapidly approaching the cusp of realizing how much more there is to learn about life. A search engine can grow from a nascent venture to the globe-encompassing octopus it currently is, altering the way we communicate and consume media in the process. An embattled Balkan region can attain self-realization along with official recognition by over half of the UN’s member states.

In the case of Cold Colours founder Brian J. Huebner, he can steadfastly maintain commitment to an artistic vision, sculpting it gradually over time, and celebrate its evolution with Northernmost, the Minnesotan group’s fifth full-length release. Stream the full album ahead of its release in our exclusive premiere below.

With regard to snow-laden boughs nestled between glistening crags, the contemplative black metal of the Pacific Northwest has largely laid claim to this brand of imagery as far as the United States is considered. For these unperturbed forests, testaments to an ageless landscape, 20 years is but a gentle sigh. Huebner, along with a lengthy list of collaborators over the past two decades, has endured to declare that doom-drenched death metal can evoke as visceral a portrayal of these twilit scenes. His lamentations fuse plodding goth lugubriousness with focused aggression and razor-wire melodies, a fitting medium for the tortured existential themes of the album’s lyrics.

As a vocalist, Huebner leaps deftly from sub-basement growls up through his considerable range, while at other times layering his clean baritone between lead guitarist Matt Hamilton’s mournful melodies. His knack for pairing each moment in a song with an appropriate vocal style is reflected in his skill for structuring his songs as well as sequencing the flow of the entire album as a cohesive work. Soothing acoustic interludes caress and reassure before hurtling the listener back for another descent through the gauntlet of Huebner’s introspective melancholy.

Cold Colours will release Northernmost on February 22. Pre-order the album on Bandcamp.

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