Honestly, as of press time, we can’t recall what the word ‘parable’ means. Rest assured, we’ll be Googling it imminently, but more importantly, there’s really no point to doing so – Mares of Thrace are kind enough to redefine it for us.
Perhaps kind is a strange word to use, as the band’s noisy, metallic sheen could strip the rust off a fleet of abandoned oil tankers. The Interim, MoT’s upcoming album, is also collection of two different eras for the band, one featuring the former drummer, with the other featuring their currents kinsman.
When discussing the merits of this kind of collection with the head of Coup Sur Coup, the label releasing the record (and longtime homies), we couldn’t help but remind ourselves of the days of accidentally finding imported editions of albums in record stores, which often contained bonus tracks like radio sessions, live performances, B-sides, and the like – but with Mares of Thrace, it’s win/win.
Check it out “Parable of the Archer” below.
Although the single is arguably one of the heaviest exclusives we’ve ever done, once you’ve heard it in the context of the record the math starts to math on songs like “Dead French Politician” and “Straight Up.”
Here’s the blurb from the press release:
“Side A features the present line-up of Lanz on vocals, guitar, and Rogers on drums (also on bass, vocals and additional guitars on this side, along with handling recording & production duties) bringing in a brand new composition & leading single “Parable of the Archer,” a slow burner of noise rock tinted with doom and gloom, followed by covers of Widow’s Bane by Vienna’s Tarlung (from their album Architect), Side A ending in style with an uncompromising, shape-shifting & insane cover of Paula Abdul’s 1988 dance classic “Straight up. Yes, you’ve read that correctly.
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Side B features the line up of Lanz and Mackichan on drums, who started the band together, offering 3 songs recorded in 2013 that are more in line with their earlier styling of God City style riffing & “mathy” twists and turns not unlike the earlier input of the band on their 2010 and 2012 albums the Moulting and The Pilgrimage.”
If you’re into bands like Turian, Stress Positions, Cloud Rat, Coordinated Suicides, and Endless, Nameless, prepare for a for a good time. Pre-order The Interim here.