Some people might argue that the end of the world is no cause for celebration, but The Burning Hell have been singing the pre-apocalypse blues for a while now.
The Canadian act – core members Mathias Kom and Ariel Sharratt plus, currently, Jake Nicoll and Maria Peddle – have just released new album ‘Ghost Palace’ which they describe as “their most joyful collection of songs about death to date”.
But “Ghost Palace” doesn’t dwell directly on the end of the world. Instead, the songs assume that our time running out is a foregone conclusion – something they’ve done on previous long-player ‘Garbage Island’ which imagined in many songs how we’d cope in a climate emergency-induced end.
Instead in their latest 11-track opus they ponder what we might leave behind when we go, what might endure, and what surprises might be found amidst the remnants.
A cynic looking at the band’s tour archive you might wonder how many air miles they’ve clocked up performing more than 1000 shows (nearly 200 in the UK) in the 15 years since they formed (never mind how they find the time to actually record a dozen albums and umpteen EPs in their studio on Price Edward Island.
However, as UK fans found last year, they do their bit for the world’s wellbeing – performing a few shows out of the Photobothy, a PA and stage combo powered entirely by solar and Hydrogen.
They also are rightful holders of a world record for playing shows in 10 (European) countries in 24 hours – though official recognition of that accolade was, remarkably, denied as the band didn’t use commercial airlines to travel between the shows.
‘Ghost Palace’ also ponders our post-planet future. After we finish making Earth uninhabitable for ourselves, where do we go, and who gets to go there? On the closing title track the band sing: “We’ll leave all the lights on / We’ll see them shine for a while, after we’ve gone… Goodbye, cool world!”
However, while the band regard the end as a foregone conclusion, there is a hint of optimism among the gloom. As Mathias says: ”Thanks to anybody out there who is still trying to save the world.
“The fight is worth it.”
‘Ghost Palace’ is out now via You’ve Changed / BB*Island .
This article originally appeared in the Lancashire Post.
Also chief newshound at Jockrock
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