In the midst of a 50-plus date tour across the EU and UK, Aotearoa fuzz-rock duo Earth Tongue take a breath to release their third album single, ‘Out Of This Hell,’ off their highly anticipated new release, Great Haunting, set to drop on Friday, June 14, 2024, via In The Red Records.
WATCH: EARTH TONGUE – ‘Out Of This Hell’
“Satan’s back, he’s overwhelmingly busy with everything deathly.”
‘Out Of This Hell’ serves as the opening track of Earth Tongue’s upcoming album. Loosely based on the bubonic plague, it captures the eerie imagery of physicians who tended to victims in the 16th and 17th centuries, adorned in terrifying masks resembling bird-like beaks and draped in long black capes. The thought of encountering such a figure while lying on one’s deathbed makes the track fitting material for an album titled Great Haunting.
The heavy-psych two-piece enlisted recording engineer Jonathan Pearce (The Beths) on synthesiser for ‘Out Of This Hell.’ While searching for the right synth sound, Jonathan started playing the vocal melody line, then harmonising it – creating a creepy and psychedelic texture that the band instantly loved.
The addition of the spooky and cinematic synth intro came after the song was otherwise complete, as Earth Tongue knew that this track would lead off the album and sought to create a buildup to set the tone.
The video, directed by Levi Cranston, was filmed against the breathtaking backdrop of Anawhata and Whites Beach on the West Coast of Auckland, New Zealand. Cranston was the perfect collaborator for Earth Tongue’s vision. With a penchant for shooting on 16mm film, coupled with Ezra’s background as a Director and his French cinema camera in tow, the group had everything they needed to create a gothic horror fantasy.
Larkin says of the experience, “I couldn’t wait to unleash some screams like a wannabe scream queen. I even cried real tears for this! There’s something a little spooky about the west coast, particularly at night when you’re standing in the cold wielding a knife for the camera. It’s such a wild, remote coastline and there weren’t any houses or people around for miles. I think that helped me with channelling that sense of isolation and turmoil”.
About Earth Tongue: Earth Tongue is a Heavy Psych two-piece band hailing from Aotearoa, New Zealand. They’re renowned for their spellbinding fusion of ethereal melodies and thunderous rhythms, and a very powerful live show. Comprising Gussie Larkin on guitar and vocals and Ezra Simons on drums, Earth Tongue has carved a niche within the global music scene, captivating audiences with their mesmerising live performances and transcendent sonic landscapes.
About In The Red Records: In The Red Records is an independent record label renowned for its commitment to groundbreaking artists and uncompromising creativity. Founded by Larry Hardy in 1991, In The Red Records has served as a beacon for pioneering musicians across diverse genres, fostering a community united by a shared passion for boundary-pushing music.
WATCH: EARTH TONGUE – ‘Grave Pressure’
Made with the support of New Zealand On Air
WATCH: EARTH TONGUE – ‘Bodies Dissolve Tonight’
Made with the support of New Zealand On Air
GREAT HAUNTING TRACKLISTING:
01. Out Of This Hell
02. Bodies Dissolve Tonight!
03. Nightmare
04. The Mirror
05. Grave Pressure
06. Miraculous Death
07. Sit Next to Satan
08. Reaper Returns
09. The Reluctant Host