Inhale deep before you glance at the title of the new album from the Josh Graham-fronted outfit A Storm of Light, because I’m pretty sure that even just reading the name As the Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade is enough to make you short of breath. Me anyway, but I’m really out of shape.

The real news here, aside from the fact that A Storm of Light has a new record coming out May 17 (their last one was pretty good), and that it includes a slew of guest appearances from badasses like Carla Kihlstedt and Kim Thayil, is that said new record is coming out on Profound Lore and not Neurot Recordings. Gasp! In these confusing times, we can only turn to the PR wire for information:

A Storm of Light frontman Josh Graham is a jack of all trades. Whether he is handling visuals for Neurosis, doing artwork for Soundgarden’s latest album, doing music videos for The Dillinger Escape Plan, Underoath, Chiodos and more or focusing in on his own musical endeavors with A Storm of Light, the man is quite busy. In the midst of this busy schedule, A Storm of Light has been able to create their most well-rounded and brilliant album yet. Now partnered with Profound Lore Records, A Storm of Light is now set to release As the Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade on May 17.

As the Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade was co-produced by Graham and Joel Hamilton (who lends keyboards to the record as well) and features several guests that are sure to have the metal world talking. Lead guitarist from Soundgarden Kim Thayil appears on two tracks, as does Jarboe (Swans). There are also appearances from Carla Kihlstedt (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), Kris Force (Amber Asylum), Matthias Bossi (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Skeleton Key) and longtime collaborator Nerissa Campbell.

As the Valley of Death Becomes Us, Our Silver Memories Fade tracklisting:
1. Missing (feat. Kim Thayil and Nerissa Campbell)
2. Collapse (feat. Jarboe)
3. Black Wolves (feat. Kim Thayil and Nerissa Campbell)
4. Destroyer (feat. Carla Kihlstedt)
5. Wretched Valley
6. Silver
7. Leave No Wounds
8. Death’s Head (feat. Jarboe)
9. Wasteland (feat. Kris Force, Matthias Bossi and Nerissa Campbell)

A Storm of Light is:
Josh Graham (vocals/guitar/keyboards)
Domenic Seita (bass/backing vocals)
Billy Graves (drums/percussion)
Joel Hamilton (modular synths/wurlitzer)

Say what you want about A Storm of Light making their name because Josh Graham handles visuals for Neurosis (the band’s first gigs were opening for them at Brooklyn Masonic Temple), countering all those arguments is a whopping list of tour dates in both the US and Europe that shows them working their collective ass off to support their second album, Forgive us Our Trespasses. And furthermore, that album kicked ass, so quit being grumpy that their friends are cooler than your friends and get with the program.

So there.

Here is the aforementioned plethora of dates, complete with comment from Graham on the work ahead, all courtesy of the PR wire:

Brooklyn kings of atmospheric doom, A Storm of Light, are gearing up for a short stint of US tour dates next week that include performances with experimental metal/noise exhibitionists Today is the Day and reunited stoner metallers Sleep before heading to Europe for a month’s worth of shows in October.

Said guitarist/vocalist John Graham of the upcoming shows: “The next couple of months are going to be a lot of fun for us. We’re lucky enough to share the stage with the legendary Sleep, brutalists Today is the Day, and then embark on our fourth European tour. Awesome!”

A Storm of Light US/Europe tour dates 2010:
08/31 31st St Pub – Pittsburgh, PA w/ Today is the Day
09/01 Ottobar – Baltimore, MD w/ Today is the Day
09/03 Santos Party House – New York, NY w/ Today is the Day
09/04 AS220 – Providence, RI w/ Today is the Day
09/07 Starlight Ballroom – Philadelphia, PA w/ Sleep
09/08 Brooklyn Masonic Temple – Brooklyn, NY w/ Sleep, Lichens
10/01 Brudenell Social Club – Leeds, UK
10/02 Whelans – Dublin, Ireland w/ Stand up Guy
10/03 The Spring and Airbrake – Belfast, Ireland w/ Stand up Guy
10/04 Captain’s Rest – Glasgow, Scotland
10/05 The Croft – Bristol, UK
10/06 The Underworld – London, UK w/ Sedula, Sons of Alpha Centauri
10/07 Nouveau Casino – Paris, France
10/08 Simplon – Groningen, Netherlands
10/09 013 – Tilburg, Netherlands
10/10 Juha West Matinee Show – Stuttgart, Germany
10/12 Rhiz – Vienna, Austria
10/13 Kset – Zagreb, Croatia
10/14 Randall – Bratislava, Slovakia
10/16 Firlej – Wroclaw, Poland
10/17 Powiekszenie – Warsaw, Poland
10/20 Nabaklab – Riga, Latvia
10/21 Nosturi – Helsinki, Finland
10/23 Garage – Oslo, Norway
10/24 Debaser – Stockholm, Sweden
10/25 Loppen – Copenhagen, Denmark
10/26 Hafenklang – Hamburg, Germany
10/27 Feierwerk – Munich, Germany
10/28 Spazio – Turin, Italy
10/29 Urban – Perugia, Italy
10/30 Init Club – Rome, Italy

It’s true, A Storm of Light have had some trouble committing to a drummer in the past. But all that’s changed, baby. They’re a new band, they swear it! They’ve grown. They’ve matured. They use clean vocals now! They know they hurt you, baby, but that’s in the past now, if you could just see your way to giving them one more drummer, they promise this time it’ll be forever.

So where’s Matthias Bossi when you need him?

According to eHarmony (and by that I mean the PR wire), A Storm of Light enjoys writing and recording albums, touring Europe, letting frontman Josh Graham handle their album covers and, of course, long walks on the beach:

A message from Brooklyn atmospheric doomsters A Storm of Light: ”In just over two years since the band’s inception, A Storm of Light has had the honor and privilege of playing with many great drummers: Vinny Signorelli, Jason Roeder, Pete Angevine etc. While this band is built around revolving members both in touring and recording, we’ve decided that a central three-piece will make us sonically/rhythmically stronger. That said, we have decided to look for a permanent drummer, one that can make A Storm of Light their primary focus, and be part of the band for the long haul.

When: ASAP. We will be recording in early fall and going to Europe from September 28 – Nov 1.

Where: Ideally we want someone in Brooklyn/NYC, or damn close. While we are willing to consider people outside of the area (New Jersey/Philadelphia/Upstate NY/Providence/Boston/D.C. etc). Please keep in mind that we are constantly writing, recording, practicing, touring, so you will have to been in Brooklyn very regularly.

Experience: We are preferably looking for people with previous recording/touring experience, and who can tour regularly both nationally and internationally. (nice, fun, dedicated, motivated, relaxed, on time, honest, etc., etc., etc.)

Contact: Please include links to your drumming/musical projects, and email us at: storm [at] astormoflight [dot] com. Thank you.” — A Storm of Light

The Joel Hamilton-less touring lineup of Neurot Recordings doomers A Storm of Light are set to begin a 19-date US tour that will include West Coast shows with Shrinebuilder and Harvestman. Pretty dern nifty. The whole thing gets started tonight, Feb. 18, at Kung Fu Necktie, in Philadelphia. The PR wire has the specifics:

A Storm of Light tour dates
2/18/2010 Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
2/19/2010 Gallery 5 – Richmond, VA
2/20/2010 The Hideaway – Johnson City, TN
2/21/2010 King Pin Bowl – Athens, GA
2/22/2010 Club 529 – Atlanta, GA
2/24/2010 Rubber Gloves – Denton, TX
2/25/2010 Emo’s – Austin, TX
2/27/2010 23 West – Tempe, AZ
2/28/2010 Club Congress – Tucson, AZ
3/02/2010 Casbah – San Diego, CA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/03/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/04/2010 Echo – Los Angeles, CA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/05/2010 Voodoo Lounge – San Jose, CA w/ Shrinebuilder + Harvestman
3/06/2010 Oakland Metro – Oakland, CA w/ Shrinebuilder + Harvestman
3/07/2010 The Independent – San Francisco, CA w/ Shrinebuilder + Harvestman
3/09/2010 Neumos – Seattle, WA w/ Shrinebuilder
3/10/2010 Rotture – Portland, OR
3/13/2010 Triple Rock – Minneapolis, MN
3/14/2010 Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
3/15/2010 Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH
3/18/2010 Union Pool – Brooklyn, NY

A Storm of Light ‘s 2010 touring lineup is:
Josh Graham (Battle of Mice, Blood and Time, Neurosis): guitar, vocals
Domenic Seita (ex-Tombs): bass, backing vocals
Geoff Summers (Batillus): drums
Zohra Atash (Religious to Damn): vocals

Are they as high profile as Neurosis? No. Are they as emotionally turbulent as (the now-defunct) Battle of Mice? No. Do they have the following Red Sparowes built up around them? No dice.

Nonetheless, of all the bands to feature the creative contributions of guitarist/vocalist Josh Graham, A Storm of Light are perhaps the most his own. I’ve sung the praises of their second Neurot outing, Forgive Us our Trespasses before, and as the band gets ready to tackle the beast that is bound to be 2010, and as the PR wire informs, Graham surrounds himself with a new touring lineup, let none of the previous heralding go contradicted. Here’s the latest:

Brooklyn, NY‘s doom experimentalists A Storm of Light, who made it a point to end the year with a crushing performance in their home borough at Club Europa opening for Coalesce, are in the process of booking a string of tour dates for the new year. The band will hit Richmond, Athens, Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Phoenix, Chicago, Cleveland and NYC as well as a handful of west coast dates with the mighty Shrinebuilder.

Confirmed dates thus far include:
2/21/2010 Kingpins Bowl and Brew – Athens, GA
2/22/2010 Club 529 – Atlanta, GA
2/25/2010 Emo’s – Austin, TX
2/27/2010 23 West – Tempe, AZ
3/13/2010 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN
3/14/2010 Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL

More dates TBA.

A Storm of Light ‘s 2010 touring lineup will be:
Josh Graham (Battle of Mice, Blood and Time, Neurosis): guitar, vocals
Domenic Seita (ex-Tombs): bass, backing vocals
Geoff Summers (Batillus): drums
Zohra Atash (Religious to Damn): vocals

As I said when I reviewed the album, any issues I had with A Storm of Light‘s debut were erased with their second album, Forgive Us Our Trespasses. The band helmed by Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, the unfortunately short-lived Battle of Mice) has just finished a European tour, and the PR wire caught up with the vocalist/guitarist for the following update and year-end show announcement. Here goes:

Brooklyn, NY doom/post rock experimentalists A Storm of Light recently returned home from an 18-date European tour in support of their highly acclaimed Forgive Us Our Trespasses full-length, released earlier this year via Neurot Recordings. The trek kicked off at the renowned Damnation Festival in Leeds and concluded in Lisbon at Revolver Bar. The band was joined by Will Lindsay from Wolves in the Throne Room on second guitar and Geoff Summers of Batillus on drums.

Recapped A Storm of Light guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, Blood and Time, Battle of Mice), “We just returned from our third European tour, and it was a great time for all of us! Playing everywhere from Lisbon to Moscow, we traveled by planes, boats, trains, and even a small stint in tiny rental cars. I kinda thought the major new experiences of touring were in the past, but this one proved to have some amazing turns. From drinking Russian vodka in Moscow, to broken elevators in Switzerland, to cops shutting down our show in Portugal, co-headlining with Minsk was a blast. There is talk that the tour may spark a joint release between both of our bands. We shall see.”

A Storm of Light will play a special Brooklyn Vegan-sponsored year-end show in Brooklyn, NY with Coalesce. Tri-state area people! Don’t miss it!

Date: December 30, 2009
Venue: Europa Night Club
98 Meserole Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
Lineup:
Coalesce
Coliseum
A Storm of Light
My Skull Your Closet
Tournament
Doors: 7:30 pm
More info: http://www.europaclub.com

If you’re in the New York City area, which I think I’ve made clear enough this week that I am, you might want to consider spending your Wednesday evening tomorrow night with A Storm of Light, who are trekking all the way from Brooklyn to Manhattan for their CD release show. Should be a good time. The PR wire has this to say about it:

Brooklyn, NY doom/post rock experimentalists A Storm of Light — who recently returned from an extensive European tour in support of their newly released Forgive Us Our Trespasses full-length (Neurot Recordings) — will hold their official record release show tomorrow, November 18, 2009, at Ace of Clubs in New York City. Admission is free and vocalist Nerissa Campbell (Primitive North) will be joining the band for the show. Also on the bill: Biclops and Goes Cube. Details below:

A Storm of Light Record Release Show
Wednesday, November 18
Ace of Clubs
9 Great Jones St.
New York, NY 10012-1128
Doors 7:30 – Free Admission

8:00pm – Biclops
9:00pm – Goes Cube
10:00pm – A Storm of Light
More info: http://www.aceofclubsnyc.com

A Storm of Light features guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, Blood and Time, Battle of Mice), bassist/vocalist Domenic Seita (formerly of Tombs and Asea) and guitarist/keyboardist Joel Hamilton (Book of Knots, Battle of Mice), who also recorded the latest full-length.

When Brooklyn trio A Storm of Light released their first album for Neurot, last year?s And We Wept the Black Ocean Within, I felt like a dick for not enjoying it. I can?t even put my finger on why, but it seemed petty the way I listened to the record and was bored by feeling as though I?d heard it all on Neurosis discs and how despite guitarist/vocalist Josh Graham?s artistic talent (he handles visuals for Neurosis and does album art for his own band among many others) and his tenure in Red Sparowes and the brilliant and recently-defunct Battle of Mice, suddenly when it was just his show it didn?t cut it. Like I was making an arbitrary choice not to dig the record — though that I never went back to listen to it again backs up the argument to the contrary.

Fortunately, with A Storm of Light?s sophomore outing, Forgive Us Our Trespasses, it?s not an issue at all. My primary gripe with And We Wept the Black Ocean Within was Graham?s vocals, and here, he and bassist Dominic Seita have completely reinvented the process — no easy feat for a band to do between their first and second albums, and all the more admirable for that — honing a cleaner approach instead of the guttural, Scott Kelly/Steve Von Till style that in effect ruined the last record. Graham and Seita trade parts throughout, but are at their most effective when both singing at the same time, as on the ending segment of 11:37 closer ?Omega,? where they lock step in a Dirt-era Alice in Chains-type harmony that ends the album on perhaps its most musically poignant note.

Read more »

When they put out And We Wept the Black Ocean Within, I felt like a jerkoff for not digging it more. After slobbering all over the awesomeness that was (is?) Battle of Mice, to be let down by A Storm of Light just seemed arbitrary and I came out of the whole experience feeling more like it was my fault than Josh Graham‘s or anyone else’s. Now that, as the PR wire informs, they’re back with a new one, called Forgive Us Our Tresspasses, I’m hopeful for a better outcome all around. Here’s the story:

Brooklyn, NY‘s own A Storm of Light will unleash their new full-length, Forgive Us Our Trespasses on September 22nd via Neurot Recordings. The follow-up to the band’s critically acclaimed debut, And We Wept the Black Ocean Within, finds its power through a dense bringing together of melodies, moods and textures, ensuring that while things are as heavy and cataclysmic as fans would expect, the devastating effects rely on interwoven melodies and graceful shifts in timbre, instead of a stream of identikit riffs.

A Storm of Light features guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Josh Graham (Neurosis visuals, Blood and Time, Battle of Mice), bassist/vocalist Domenic Seita (formerly of Tombs and Asea), drummer/percussionist Andy Rice (formerly of Sinking Ships) and guitarist/keyboardist Joel Hamilton (Book of Knots, Battle of Mice), who also recorded the album. Forgive Us Our Trespasses showcases a more refined sound and a significant broadening of scope, the band leading the listener on a millennial journey that sees the modest curls of smoke rising from nomadic campsites gradually replaced by the billowing smokestacks of industry before being cast down and consigned to the soil once more as the planet rouses from its aeon-long slumber. The record spotlights a host of carefully-chosen collaborators, including vocalist Nerissa Campbell (Primitive North), the unique talents of Jarboe (Swans, World of Skin, J2), the otherworldly spoken word segues of singer, poet and author Lydia Lunch and the mournful strings of Carla Kihlstedt (Book of Knots, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, 2 Foot Yard) and Marika Hughes (2 Foot Yard). Check out the song “Midnight” from Forgive Us Our Trespasses streaming at the band’s official website.

Stay tuned for details on the upcoming CD release party to be held in New York City this October.

In related news, A Storm of Light will return to Europe for a co-headlining tour with Relapse recording artists, Minsk (see dates below).

A Storm of Light and Minsk:
10/24/2009 Damnation Festival at Leeds University – Leeds
10/25/2009 Ivory Blacks – Glasgow, Scotland
10/26/2009 Trillians – FREE SHOW – New Castle
10/27/2009 Corporation – Sheffield
10/28/2009 Bar Academy – London
10/29/2009 Freebutt – Brighton
10/30/2009 Simplon – Groningen
11/01/2009 Baroeg – Rotterdam
11/03/2009 Ikra Cub – Moscow
11/04/2009 Cassiopeia with Minsk – Berlin
11/05/2009 Usine – Geneva
11/06/2009 Ebullition – Bulle
11/07/2009 W2 – Bosch
11/08/2009 Schlachthof – Wiedbaden
11/09/2009 Hafenklang – Hamburg
11/11/2009 Init Club – Rome
11/13/2009 Ritmo y Compas – Madrid
11/15/2009 Revolver Bar - Lisbon