Secrets of the Sky – “Three Swords” [SoundCloud Song Stream]

The Skinny: Oakland-based atmospheric doom quintet and recent Metal Blade signees, Secrets of the Sky, will release their long-awaited sophomore full-length this May. Titled Pathway, the mammoth thirteen-track follow-up to 2013’s critically-heralded To Sail Black Waters full-length was engineered, mixed, mastered and co-produced by Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios with Secrets of the Sky and finds the band at their most poignant.

Dark, brooding, pure, eclectic, Pathway features Garett Gazay fluctuating between monstrous growls and clean, soothing vocal cascades, all the while complimenting the twisted compositions of guitarists Andrew Green and Clayton Bartholomew. Bassist Ryan Healy and drummer Lance Lea round out the lineup, their rhythms and distinctive voices adding further depth to the collective’s meticulous, blackened soundscrapes.

Sonically, Secrets of the Sky SKY aimed for a massive, clean, and organic sounding production. Much time was invested in obtaining huge drum sounds and the focus was on single performance takes throughout the process. The result is an ambitious foray into conceptual storytelling, coupled with emotional music full of peaks and valleys. This is a metal record, to be sure, but more importantly, it sounds like an album of music. This is not a random sequencing of songs or a search for a “hit” single; the tracks all have their place in the story, and the cuts in between actually drive the narrative through sound effects and ambience. Secrets of the Sky’s Pathway is an experience to be had, as well as a record to merely be heard.

Pathway Track Listing:

01. I
02. Three Swords
03. II
04. Angel In Vines
05. Another Light
06. III
07. IV
08. Garden Of Prayers
09. V
010. Fosforos
11. VI
12. Eternal Wolves
13. VII