Falls of Rauros Sing a "Poverty Hymn" (Early Track Stream)
I have no qualms admitting that Falls of Rauros‘ previous outing Patterns in Mythology was one of my favorite 2019 albums. It was as vibrant as a black metal record could be while still being considered black metal, and effortlessly captured the beauty of the Atlantic Northeast–more specifically, the band’s scenic coastal hometown of Portland, Maine. We’re premiering a new single “Poverty Hymn” below, a track that made me more sure than ever that their upcoming album Key to a Vanishing Future will be one of my favorite releases of this year too.
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Where the previous single “Clarity” indulged in the band’s more progressive tendencies, “Poverty Hymn” gloriously boasts a more straightforward, melody-centric style. The guitar interplay between guitarists Jordan Guerette and Aaron Lovely approaches transcendence, and the chemistry they’ve cultivated throughout the band’s time together fully comes together here. It’s not just those two, however; like all previous Falls of Rauros material, “Poverty Hymn” is powered by many moving parts—blast beats, atmosphere-building keys, and frenzied caterwauling—all working towards the song’s climax, a euphoric swell of harmony that sees the band climbing higher than they’ve ever dared to tread before.
—Brandon Nurick
Thematically, “Poverty Hymn” doesn’t shine quite as bright as its musical accompaniment, but that is all by design. The band had the following to say about the track:
“Poverty Hymn” is less experimental and more musically direct than the other songs on the album. This song, along with “Survival Poem,” could be seen as one of the “title tracks” in a sense. Both songs directly tie into the themes referenced by the album title, Key to a Vanishing Future: we are all born into a world shaped by forces entirely out of our control. “Poverty Hymn” is a defiant and spirited song that ultimately ends up broken in its final message: “A wound that cannot be reconciled will swallow us. Never take for granted what you have.” There’s not much comfort to be found in such a statement, but it might be the only realistic conclusion to the themes explored on this album.
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Key to a Vanishing Future releases March 25th via Gilead Media and Eisenwald.
