Portland, OR-based indie rockers Rare Monk will be releasing their sophomore effort, Never Really Over in early 2021.
When the songs for “Never Really Over” were written and recorded between 2018-19, the future had not yet arrived. At the album’s core is a central thread of ever-present looming dread at the end of the world. Of the bursting of bubbles, of the decline and devolution of America back into the dark ages, of book burnings, witch hunts, of vapours only releasable by exsanguination. Of a surveillance state, of the demonization of science, of persecution at scale, of the normalization of greed, idiocy, cruelty, and death.
In the time it’s taken the band to start releasing these songs, so many of these at-the-time-hypothetical fears have already been realized, which makes the songs on Never Really Over feel more relevant than ever. Lead singer Dorian Aites has this to say about the future “Hope is definitely not lost, it’s just become more difficult. We’ll get through and hope the songs help.”
Rare Monk has just delivered “Space Song,” (below) a sensational and beautiful rock anthem highlighted by tastefully constructed atmospheric vocals and cryptic yet hypnotic musicianship (courtesy of a slashing guitar solo). Life is cyclic and Rare Monk has a keen eye on the nature of existence, by representinging those physics in a poignant presentation.
