Singer, Tom Templar, commented: ‘Some key elements of ‘Reaper’s Scythe’ were actually written when we were putting together our first EP Free the Witch, but we couldn’t quite find a way to bring them together.
Soon after ‘Woodland Rites’ came out we were playing around in our studio and added a sinister intro and an epic King Diamond-Esque middle 8, and suddenly it all clicked. It’s the first song we’ve written with that old-school Maiden gallop, and horror fans will spot lots of references in the lyrics, from the familiar (Stephen King’s ‘Children of the Corn’) to the obscure (Thomas Tryon’s Harvest Home). It’s fast becoming our favourite song to play in the practice space. We can’t wait to unleash it live!’.’
Recorded at Giant Wafer Studios in rural mid-Wales over the course of two weeks with longtime producer Wayne Adams (Petbrick, Big Lad), before being mastered by John Davis at Metropolis (Led Zeppelin, Royal Blood), Black Harvest is a more expansive and textured record than anything the band have done before, boasting a cinematic quality and more attention to detail.
All samples were sourced from the local countryside and from instruments found in the studio, including the haunting opening vocal of The Harrowing which was recorded on a whim after the band broke into the local church (the organ can be heard creaking in the background).
Picking up where the self-released Woodland Rites left off, on ‘Black Harvest’ GREEN LUNG continues to draw inspiration from Britain’s rich history of folklore, from witchcraft, and from cultish horror films.
Nature – as always – is woven into the fabric of the songs; this time around the album was recorded in late autumn, and the seasonal atmosphere seeped into the music, which is redolent of mists, falling leaves, and the crumbling glory of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, the city the band calls home.
Green Lung will be performing at Bloodstock Festival next month and will make their Irish debut on March 26th at CLANG METAL FESTIVAL alongside Candlemas, Coroner, and many more in Dublin’s National Stadium. Tickets are on sale now, via this link.
Oran O’Beirne
www.overdrive.ie 2021
