The Canadian indie-rock/folk-rock band The Burning Hell last album Public Library was described by Thomas Blake in his FRUK review as an album of surprising emotional depth and musical variety. The band have just announced a new album, Revival Beach is out in October via Hamburg based BB*ISLAND label. Watch thei new video for Friend Army below:
“Friend Army is a song about friendship and violence, and the video pits the members of the Burning Hell against each other in a race to the death, starting and (maybe) ending on Revival Beach” explains Songwriter Mathias Kom, who previously brought us gems like ‘Amateur Rappers’ (from their ‘People’ album) and ‘Fuck the Government, I Love You’ from ‘Public Library’, their 2016 album of distorted story songs.
While for ‘Revival Beach’ they’ve stepped down from a quintet to a trio, they’ve stepped up with the album theme: not People, not Libraries, but the Apocalypse is the topic now. Some of the songs dealing not with the apocalypse itself but with the bits and pieces of human lunacy that add up to it. The album opener, ‘Friend Army’, is a twisted jingle in which the military attempts to recruit young people by comparing itself to bands, boyfriends, and theme songs.
The minimalistic visual concept of the accompanying video, in an epic setting, is the band performing the martial art of running up that hill, over and over again. The video was shot by Al Harle, who also engineered and co-produced the new album. Right after the sessions were done. the band went to Faroe Island for a few final gigs of their spring/summer tour. Al Harle about the spontanious shooting: “I am definitely adding ‘running backwards up a mountain wearing inappropriate footwear whilst holding a video camera’ to my CV.”
The album will be released October 21. (Vinyl, CD and digitally BB*ISLAND, distr UK Shellshock) by that time The Burning Hell – always restless – will have been in the tour van again, starting off with a spot at End Of The Road festival, followed by some Scotland dates with Jeffrey Lewis, and more.
Pre-order Revival Beach here: http://bbislandmusic.com/shop/the-burning-hell-revival-beach-vinyl-cd
Upcoming The Burning Hell Tour Dates
31.08 – 03.09 – End of the Road Festival
Ariel and Mathias in Scotland with Jeffrey Lewis:
Mon 04.09 Edinburgh, Hibs Club
Tue 05.09 Dundee, Clark’s
Wed 06.09 Aberdeen, Tunnels 1
Thu 07.09 Elgin, Fri 08.09 Wick, Blackstairs Lounge
Sun 10.09 Inverness, Tooth & Claw
Mon 11.09 Braemar, Braemar Gallery
Thu 14.09 Knoydart, Community Hall
Fri 15.09 Aviemore, The Old Bridge Inn
Sat 16.09 Stirling, The Mediterranea
For all tour dates and ticket links visit: www.wearetheburninghell.com