Photo by Caleb Stanfield
North Carolina doom bringers COSMIC REAPER will release their Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned full-length on September 26th Via Heavy Psych Sounds Records.
Since 2017, COSMIC REAPER has carried a black-flamed torch of tradition, forged in the long lineage of doom and sludge. Emerging from the shadows of Charlotte, the band blends a raw, southern swing with the full circle of heavy metal creating a sound as steeped in American mysticism as it is overloaded saturation of amplifier worship.
While their roots lie in the hallowed halls of Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus, the band’s DNA mutates further pulling from the textured anger of Soundgarden and even the chaotic forces of Snapcase. COSMIC REAPER isn’t interested in simply echoing the past; they swirl it a glass, layering a cocktail of thunderous bass and drums, brink-of-destruction fuzz, and ethereal vocals into a sonic ritual all their own.
The band’s self-titled debut, released in 2021 on Heavy Psych Sounds, announced their arrival with cataclysmic force earning praise for its crushing atmosphere, hard rock influenced riffs, and psychedelic accents. Tracks like “Hellion” and “Planet Eater” showcased their ability to drift between galactic doomscapes and swamp-born grooves. 2022’s follow-up Doom Sessions Vol. 7 saw a brief evolution in tempos and themes pulled from the remnants of the self-titled record.
Since then, much has changed. With lead guitar duties being passed on not once, but twice, COSMIC REAPER welcomed guitarist Pete Snasdell into the fold. A longtime stalwart of the UK heavy music scene, Snasdell brought an evolved sense of harmony and heaviness, expanding the band’s twin-guitar attack and deepening the commitment to the cult of heavy metal.
Now armed with a sharpened lineup – Thad Collis (vocals/guitar), Garret Garlington (bass), Jeremy Grobsmith (drums), and Pete Snasdell (guitar) – COSMIC REAPER continues to burn slow but be ever blinding. Their highly anticipated second full-length album, Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned, is deeper descent into psych-doom’s haunted core, the record sees a big step away from older stoner elements. promising to push their sonic boundaries further into the void – heavier, stranger, and more apocalyptic than ever before.
Comments guitarist/vocalist Thad Collis, “Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned is an album we poured our hearts into. We wanted to take our sound to a new level, but also call back to the roots of doom, with a touch of 90s angst. Lyrically, it touches on everything from standing up to tyranny, to revenge, to sacrifice, to love, lust, and betrayal all wrapped in themes of horror, science-fiction, and history. For the best listening experience: light one up, and turn it up loud.”
In advance of the release of Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned, the band has unveiled its first single, “Pot Of Gold,” Comments Collis on the track, “Have you ever gotten too stoned while watching Leprechaun 2, fallen asleep and dreamed the leprechaun was trying to kill you? I definitely haven’t done that…”
Stream COSMIC REAPER’s “Pot Of Gold,” which initially premiered at The Obelisk, at THIS LOCATION.
Bleed The Wicked, Drown The Damned was recorded and mixed by Blake Hobson at Sense 2 Recording Studio and mastered by Esben Willems at Studio. The record will be released on CD, LP, and digital formats.
Find physical preorders at the Heavy Psych Sounds webshop HERE and digital orders at Bandcamp HERE.
COSMIC REAPER:
Thad Collis – guitar, vocals
Garrett Garlington – bass
Jeremy Grobsmith – drums
Peter Snasdell – guitar
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