Heathen Apostles - Bloodgrass Vol. 3 & 4 (CD)

Release Date: 06/03/22

An intriguing hybrid of several genres, mixing Middle Eastern and borderline psychedelic sounds with the band's distinctly gloomy bloodgrass

2020 was a year of loss, reflection, and reevaluation. Trying as the times
were to have a trio of tour cancellations both stateside and abroad as the
live music industry seemingly evaporated overnight, the Heathen
Apostles did not let the unexpected gift of time go to waste. To the
contrary, the band channeled the turbulent year's events and its complex
emotions into their music, and the result- BLOODGRASS VOL. 3 & 4-
is a collection of songs at once timely as they are timeless.
The album opener 'Bad Patch' uses the lyrical analogy of the 1930s
Dust Bowl to express the collective desperation brought about by
feeling at the mercy of the sort of devastation best described as an 'act
of God'. 'Careful What You Pray For' touches upon the hypocrisy of
self-righteous religious dogma and the damage it inevitably brings in its
wake. 'Black Hawk' moves the album in an introspective direction as
Louth sings a tale of transformation by shedding the darkness in order to
welcome in the light. As the title suggests, 'Demi Monde' pays homage
to the fires of Beltane and 'Tall Rider' closes the EP on a cathartically
optimistic note.
The foot stomping single 'Roots Run Deep' casts a lyrical spell in its
own right, reminding the listener of the divine within. 'Into The Wild'
is a primal, incendiary runaway train filled with plenty of snarl and
swagger. 'No Peace' was written in response to the victims of countless
cases of police brutality in recent history that have yet to receive justice
for the crimes committed against them. 'Solitary' is an embrace of
following one's own path in life. 'Shadow Of The Crows' offers an
intriguing hybrid of several genres, mixing Middle Eastern and
borderline psychedelic sounds with the band's distinctly gloomy
bloodgrass. Lastly, the band offers up a reinvention of Mark Lanegan's
'The Gravedigger's Song' as a tribute to the iconic singer's untimely
passing this year.