WITNESSES, an ensemble that crafts sounds that sit in the realms of cinematic atmospheres, metal, and sparse acoustics, presents their doom metal album Joy. The album is set to make waves on November 8th, 2024, listen to the captivating new single “Joy (Like a river)” HERE.
WITNESSES comments on the forthcoming album:
“Joy is the culmination of over five years honing a vision–of doom metal with a heavy emphasis on atmosphere and lyrics rich in imagery & narrative. Where interwoven guitar harmonies draw continued influence from 1990s British doom, complemented by soaring vocals and often mid-paced rhythms. And though the end result has been referred to by many writers as ‘post’, that’s no problem; rather, it is a testament to a sound that probably doesn’t fit neatly into any one category. But suffice to say there would be no WITNESSES without the inspiration of those early Peaceville records. And that spirit is alive and well on Joy”.
About WITNESSES:
NYC-based WITNESSES was established in 2016 with the release of the haunting cinematic ambient I. By 2019, the project had already expanded into new territory with To disappear and to be nothing—a deeply personal album that drew influence from classic British doom metal, but with elements often described by fans and writers as post-metal. Since then, WITNESSES has continued down this mainly two-track approach of ambient and metal releases, with ambient follow ups II, III, and IV, and doom full-length albums Doom II and The Collapse (2021’s PoltergeistsI was a detour into barren, acoustic-driven minimalism). Thematically, WITNESSES alternates between stories and introspective lyrics, sometimes blending the two together.
WITNESSES is:
Greg Schwan – guitar, bass guitar, keys, lyrics
Simon Bibby – vocals
Angel Hernandez – drums
Guests:
Matt Kozar – additional guitar on “Joy (Like a river)”
Arianna Mahsayeh – cello on “Joy (Like a river)”
Gabbi Coenen – vocals on “Joy (Safety in me)”
Credits:
Mastering: Erik Peabody
Mixing: Greg Schwan
Art by Welder Wings
Design by Andreas Levers
Links:
Pre-order: https://witnesses-nyc.bandcamp.com/album/joy
Bandcamp: https://witnesses-nyc.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/witnesses.nyc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/witnesses.nyc/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@witnessesnyc
Ampwall: https://ampwall.com/a/witnesses
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6jBOdFUBc8jbvRDRDNy8x6?si=b2486394f4604668
Track Listing:
1. Joy (Like a river) – 6:32
2. Joy (I see everything) – 5:40
3. Joy (Beyond the sound of my voice) – 5:20
4. Interlude – 1:18
5. Joy (The endings) – 7:59
6. Joy (Safety in me) – 7:43