Decibel Magazine is currently hosting an exclusive premiere of An Embarrassment Of Riches, the captivating third full-length from Canadian progressive instrumental quartet, THE NIGHT WATCH, featuring Musk Ox guitarist/Agalloch collaborator Nathanael Larochette and Musk Ox violinist Evan Runge. The exclusive stream comes on the eve of the record’s release, Friday, November 15th.
Much like the looming peaks adorning its Alice Duke (Cormorant, Avenging Force) cover art, An Embarrassment Of Riches is a towering and richly detailed journey through external and internal landscapes, where post, progressive, black, doom, and folk metal weave their way through a tapestry of post-rock, folk, jazz, and classical textures expertly sewn together by virtuoso violinist Runge and company. From cavernous valleys of solitude and paranoia, to soaring peaks of transcendence and affirmation, the turmoil and triumph one would imagine facing on an isolated land mass are herein expressed through harrowing tales of dynamic sound, carrying listeners on a wordless journey to the root and summit of human experience.
Offers Larochette, “On behalf of THE NIGHT WATCH, I am thrilled to finally share An Embarrassment Of Riches in its entirety and grateful to the mighty Decibel Magazine for the opportunity. This album represents our attempt at making a (hopefully) classic prog/metal concept album with all of its peaks, valleys, hidden pathways, perilous corridors, and tongue-in-cheek epicness firmly intact. Although it may seem odd for an unknown independent band to release a seventy-two-minute concept record — instrumental no less — in this musical climate, the original essence of prog was always one of exploration and imagination and this approach has been at the heart THE NIGHT WATCH since day one. We still believe that an album has the power to transport and transcend listeners who fully engage and hope to offer such an adventure to those willing to visit An Embarrassment Of Riches. This album would not exist without the legions of prog and metal concept classics that paved the way before us (Dream Theater’s Scenes From A Memory, Ayreon’s The Human Equation, Opeth’s Still Life, Camel’s The Snow Goose, and so on) and we are humbled to share our modest musical offerings as we forever roam upon the endless ocean of sound. Happy sailing.”
Hailing, “a wealth of musical treasure,” Decibel further elaborates of the record, “The pirate nod is no mistake, but Alestorm this ain’t. There are no lyrics referencing misadventures at sea, though the music aims to tell the saga of a shipwrecked sailor. Still, through this the Ottawa, Ontario quartet deliver their sound with cheek. The folk-laden metal of ‘Land Ho![ takes a hint from the mannerisms of Captain Jack Sparrow, daring to step out for fun little pirate-esque chants of, ‘HEY!’ Fourth track “Dance Of The Mountain People” even features a little a capella bit. However, in general the music is built more like the waves on which a ship sails than what occurs on board…”
Read more and stream THE NIGHT WATCH’s An Embarrassment Of Riches, only at Decibel Magazine, at THIS LOCATION.
An Embarrassment Of Riches will be self-released digitally November 15th with a physical edition to follow. For preorders, visit THE NIGHT WATCH Bandcamp page at THIS LOCATION. Find the band’s full discography streaming HERE and on all digital platforms.
Since releasing their eclectic self-titled debut in 2013, THE NIGHT WATCH has proven themselves a creative and evolving musical force, allowing genres to act as mere sign posts on their instrumental explorations. Having performed alongside progressive titans such as Unexpect, Leprous, and Trioscapes, THE NIGHT WATCH continues to carve their own ever-shifting space in the world of forward reaching music. Continuing said momentum, their second album Boundaries was released to wide acclaim in 2016. Consisting of a single thirty-six-minute song, Boundaries was heralded by Heavy Blog Is Heavy as “…a masterfully crafted tapestry…,” and selected by Invisible Oranges as one of the most overlooked albums of 2016. Carrying this momentum to the present, are proud to announce their third album An Embarrassment Of Riches, their most mature and ambitious work to date.
“…beautifully orchestrated…this project is able to maintain that organic beauty while also pulling off some impressive musical feats.” – The Needle Drop; Best Songs Of The Week 9/29
“…rich, complex, and beguiling…” — Heavy Blog Is Heavy
“…one of the best modern prog bands out right now…” — Progressive Music Planet
“…the writing and musicianship are both consistently excellent throughout the album…” — Angry Metal Guy
“…very beautifully composed, with the violins soaring over the blasting metal riffs and deep punchy bass lines. The first half of the record is light-hearted, jovial, and epic. The second half is beautiful, ethereal, and sweeping.” — Noob Heavy
“In some ways, THE NIGHT WATCH are like an instrumental Agalloch, but they do a hell of a lot more than just ape the Cascadian masters… As is, An Embarrassment Of Riches eagerly darts between musical concepts to create something poetic. It’s easy to get lost, and when that initial cry of ‘Land Ho!’ rings out in the opening track you realize that you have been swept away to a mystical land…” — Two Guys Metal Reviews
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