Hailing from Canada, Alienatör is a sludge metal band that confronts tough issues with razor-sharp riffs and memorable hooks. They released their debut album, Pariahs, in 2019, and are now following it up this year with Regrets, which is darker, more focused, and more intense. They say it also boasts better songwriting and more dynamics. The themes of this upcoming release also explore some heavy topics including alienation, grief, pain, and disgust at the state of the modern world.

The single “The Priest” is no exception, which vocalist/guitarist Brad King explains: “This is the darkest song I’ve ever written. Another is where the bass really drives the song and the guitar comes in, jagged and angular on top. Ralph Rowe was an Anglican Priest who molested countless kids in fly-in reserves in the 70s and 80s. He ruined so many lives and plea-bargained for a prison sentence that was a slap on the wrist. There’s a documentary about him called “Survivor’s Rowe,” and I’ve met a few survivors through my work. Here, he serves as an example of the type of abuse of power we allow those in positions of trust. I’m proud of the dynamics of this one, lots of tension and release and the calm atmospheric part in the middle.”

The music video for “The Priest” can be seen below:

Composed during the claustrophobia of the 2020 election and the global pandemic the album channels rage and catharsis before lulling the listener into a sense of security and then thundering down again into a feedback-drenched conclusion.

Compared to their debut release, fans will recognize a more hard-hitting sound, depth of songwriting, dynamics, darker themes, and more vulnerable and introspective lyrics. Alienatör has matured and grown as musicians, with the addition of drummer Simon Paquette who has added a lot of depth to the sound, and bass player Sean Skillen becoming part of the writing process has added a new dimension. The band is a more cohesive unit and it shows in the material.

Pre-order on Bandcamp.

Tracklisting:

“Revisionist History”
“Loss Leader”
“Blood Red Blood”
“Regrets”
“The Priest”
“The Less Dead”
“Flat Earth Society”
“Irreconcilable”
“Your Funeral”
“Wounded Birds”
“Dark Matters”

“Blood Red Blood”:

(Photo – Peter David Wragg)