The Promise Of Plague release "The Earth Above, A Grave Beneath"
- Jason Hesley
- Feb 26
- 2 min read
I lie in a sea of dreams, the substance of my life flowing around me in tattered stories – the triumphs and tragedies, such as they were, my great loves, lies, betrayals and sins, they all swim before my empty, unblinking eyes. Were they really all as inconsequential as they seem now to my still heart? Did it all mean so pitifully little? Perspective changes when the clamour of your breathing has ceased. None of it mattered then, none of it matters now in this cold bed of worms – with the earth above and a grave beneath…
The Earth Above, A Grave Beneath is the fourth full length album from Louisville, Kentucky sextet The Promise Of Plague – a band that draw inspiration from across the metal spectrum, fusing diverse elements into a dark and powerfully distinct sound. Nearly a decade on from their first EP, Sleepwalking Into Armageddon, the band’s experience and accomplished musicianship can be heard in every note of the bravely creative The Earth Above, A Grave Beneath. Opening in savage fashion with ‘Vomit Running Through My Veins’, The Promise Of Plague slam you back in your seat before the song uncoils itself, shifting between moods and tempos, adding melodic guitar lines and rich atmosphere, driven forward by a visceral vocal presence. This opening sets the tone for what is to follow…expect the unexpected, be prepared for every song to possess its own individual character, but with an emotional weight and depth that anchors the band’s sound as they explore. From the emotive darkness and haunted landscapes of ‘Dead Mistake’, via the varied vocal interplay of ‘One Line Poem’, to the album’s title track, with its guitar motifs with deep, deep roots that speak in a universal voice; there are a myriad of treasures to uncover in The Promise Of Plague’s musical darkness. The venomous black metal heart of ‘My World Is Better, Darker’ beats slower as it reaches its end and slips into the epic ‘Of Sorrow’ – resounding chords, wearied marches across windswept hills, jagged riffs, frantic velocities, raw, impassioned screams – they are all here, all part of the great tapestry of this momentous song. And then? Then we celebrate our passage through the night with a brutal reworking of Quiet Riot’s headbanging classic, ‘Metal Health’! Twisted into The Promise Of Plague’s form, it provides a triumphant conclusion to this harrowing but rewarding album.
Recorded and mixed by Chris Leffler (Stonecutters etc) and mastered by Overload drummer Todd Hawkins, The Earth Above, A Grave Beneath has the strength, dexterity and clarity of sound to bring the best out of The Promise Of Plague’s diverse and adventurous creativity. Completed by the evocative cover artwork of the band’s own Jerry Barksdale (who also supplied the visual elements for many albums by death metal veterans Abominant) The Earth Above, A Grave Beneath will be released by Throne Of Lies Records on March 10th…prepare for a voyage into the stygian depths of the soul.
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