Loathe - "The Things They Believe"

Genre : Instrumental, Ambient, Soundtrack

Released : February 7th, 2021

Label : SharpTone Records

FFO : idk man if you liked ILIIAITE and ambient music you'll dig this

"The Things They Believe" is a nice expansion of previous album "I Let It In And It Took Everything" and fully explores the synth-based ambient elements that were present on that album.

I really loved the way the synth work sounded on that record so I'm glad we got some more of that.

The collaboration with saxophonist John Waugh (who could also be heard on Plini's latest album "Impulse") on this project reinforces its floating, ethereal atmosphere even more.

I think it's safe to assume this kind of project would probably not have existed were it not for lockdown.

The only positive aspect there is to be found from the lack of touring is that artists have more time to work and experiment on their music and I believe this project is a prime example of that.

Then again I might be completely wrong and this could have been released regardless, given the high success of ILIIAITE which propelled the band to new heights last year, making them a fresh creative force within the metalcore scene to be reckoned with internationally.

It's interesting nowadays to see artists coming out with these projects that aren't necessarily standalone pieces of work but rather extend upon the universe the previous work it is derived from had created.

And I can't help but compare them with the controversial "DLC's" of video games.

Some people love the fact that they expand a game's universe and extend its duration with added content, while others cannot be bothered with them and view them more as an excuse to make extra profit at the expense of creativity.

And while of course that can sometimes prove to be true depending on the context, if we look at it in terms of the music industry and its current state, these kind of projects make perfect sense both in terms of creative expression and marketing for an artist during these challenging times.

So, are you playing the DLC ?