Love in Shadow
Love In Shadow is the third studio album by American post-metal band Sumac. It was released on September 21, 2018 through Thrill Jockey.[1] Like the band's experimental collaboration with Keiji Haino earlier in 2018, much of the album was recorded improvisationally.[2][3] Love in Shadow will be followed by a tour of the United States in early 2019.[4]
Love In Shadow | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 21, 2018 | |||
Recorded | Robert Lang Studios in Shoreline, Washington, September 2017 | |||
Studio | Robert Lang Studios | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 66:09 | |||
Label | Thrill Jockey | |||
Producer | ||||
Sumac chronology | ||||
|
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 78/100[5] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [6] |
Pitchfork | 7.8/10[7] |
PopMatters | 9/10[8] |
Rolling Stone | [9] |
Sputnikmusic | 3.6/5[10] |
Love in Shadow was met with mostly positive reception. The album received an average score of 78/100 from 6 reviews on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[5] Paul Simpson of AllMusic described the album as "a bracing expression of visceral emotions that refuses to go the easiest, most comforting route, as well as the most focused Sumac album yet".[6] Both Chrostopher R. Weingarten of Rolling Stone and Spyros Stasis of PopMatters wrote that Love in Shadow broke new ground,[9][8] and Pitchfork's Grayson Haver Currin said that Sumac turned "from good to staggering" on the album.[7] Sputnikmusic called the album "startlingly unique" and "the most dynamic and interesting album that Aaron Turner has ever created", but wrote that some of the new ideas were jarring and out of place.[10]
Accolades
Year | Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | Loudwire | "The 30 Best Metal Albums of 2018" | 20 | [11] |
PopMatters | "The Best Metal of 2018" | 2 | [12] | |
Treble | "The Top 25 Metal Albums of 2018" | 4 | [13] | |
"Top 50 Albums of 2018" | 21 | [14] | ||
Along with the accolades above, Love in Shadow appeared on several Metal Hammer staff members' top lists and as an honorable mention on The A.V. Club's top metal albums list.[15][16]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Task" | 21:32 |
2. | "Attis' Blade" | 15:45 |
3. | "Arcing Silver" | 12:02 |
4. | "Ecstasy of Unbecoming" | 16:50 |
Total length: | 66:09 |
Personnel
Credits adapted from Love in Shadow liner notes[17]
- Sumac
- Aaron Turner – guitar, vocals, artwork, design, production
- Nick Yacyshyn – drums
- Brian Cook – bass
- Additional personnel
- Kurt Ballou – production, engineering, mixing
- Audrey Lowell – assistive engineering
- James Plotkin – mastering
- Faith Coloccia – organ (track 1)
Chart performance
Chart | Peak position |
---|---|
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[18] | 11 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[19] | 33 |
References
- Hill, John. "Sumac Announce New Album 'Love in Shadow,' Tease Music in Preview Video". Revolver. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- O'Neill, Brian. "Aaron Turner Seeks 'Love in Shadow' in Philadelphia". Invisible Oranges. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby. "The Collaboration Between Sumac & Keiji Haino is an Experimental Metal Triumph". Bandcamp. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Slingerland, Calum. "Sumac Map Out West Coast Tour". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- "Love in Shadow by Sumac: Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Simpson, Paul. "Sumac – Love in Shadow". AllMusic. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Currin, Grayson Haver. "Sumac: Love in Shadow". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Stasis, Spyros. "Sumac Break New Ground with 'Love in Shadow'". PopMatters. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Weingarten, Christopher R. "Review: Sumac's Free Metal Breaks Ugly New Ground". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Xenophanes. "Review: Sumac – Love in Shadow". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
- Irizarry, Katy. "The 30 Best Metal Albums of 2018". Loudwire. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- Stasis, Spyros. "The Best Metal of 2018". PopMatters. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- Terich, Jeff. "The Top 25 Metal Albums of 2018". Treble. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- Hickman, Langdon. "Top 50 Albums of 2018". Treble. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- "Metal Hammer Writers Pick Their Top 20 Albums of 2018". Metal Hammer. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- Dowd, A. A.; Anthony, David. "The Best Metal Albums of 2018". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
- Love in Shadow (CD liner notes). Sumac. Thrill Jockey. 2018. Thrill-470.CS1 maint: others (link)
- "Sumac Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
- "Sumac Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2018.