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Hypnagogia

by Willow Ash

supported by
Antony Mills
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Antony Mills Fun album with numerous influences, vocals half way between Peter Steele and Glen Danzig. Favorite track: La Petite Mort.
Doomshire
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Doomshire l came to this LP and Willow Ash's music as a newcomer but got hooked straight away. This has the potential to appeal to a lot of people- straight-up rock fans and lovers of the heavier, doomier end of the rock rainbow.nuff thick riffs, great solos(Boneless)themes of hallucinations, gothy vocals and a warm fuzzy feeling from tapping into that 70s tarpit of analogue goodness. listen to this LP like we used to in the old days before TV gave us all ten second attention spans- from start to finish. Favorite track: Boneless.
FDJ (Desert Psychlist)
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FDJ (Desert Psychlist) Another month another Willow Ash release. you wont hear me complaining though.
Their best yet!
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1.
Hypnagogia 00:43
2.
As I traverse these hills I see the forest, black The wounds on my hands They release a deluge That seeds the ground Dripping down To the bones Hidden between The rocks and the roots I cover endless ground In an endless wood My fingertips begin to tingle Hair on my neck stands A battle horn blares I see it watching me through the witch’s window I see it in the sky I see it crawling from the ground To sit upon the solemn throne And break apart the graven seal And the seven words I read, “Rejoice! For your selfish god is dead” As I travel this mountainside I hear the ancient ones Still echoing from a witch’s hollow The old gods still live in these cairns Still speak through the wind Still vibrate the bones The smell of oak, The touch of willow, A taste of ash
3.
She’s in the grotto Under that warm waterfall She’s so enticing I heed the siren’s call A graze of her hand I’m all revved up and Ready to go Step out of the pool She leads me down the path In the silver moonlight Her skin glowing white No sex in the champagne room No drugs in the champagne room Only doom in the champagne room Only gloom in the champagne room Her fingertips are cold She digs them into my wrist Leads me with an iron grip Among the velvet pillows She slithers up onto me Her black nails burrow through My back into my soul I can see my reflection on the wall I can’t see hers
4.
Basking in the afterglow of death You must’ve died 100,000 times And I confess I’m the one that took your life Again and again La petite mort, Little death Blood and sweat on your breast, you beg me for another death Before you catch your breath You’ll shake and scream and fight And we will die together tonight Again and again
5.
Get that T Top ready baby Yeah pack up that trans am We gonna drive to the moon tonight Leave the atmosphere, baby Just me and you Jump into space The place you want Grab the drugs and the booze For tonight we cruise Let’s drive to the moon, baby Load up that car We gonna drive to moon baby It’s not that far SPACE TRASHED! We’ve seen this place It’s such a drag No intelligent life Ain’t none to find here, baby Let’s hit the next spot Yeah let’s cruise to that next stop Load up that T Top Baby Hang that thong on the rear view We’re headed to Mars In a classic car Drive to Mars baby Load up that car We gonna drive to Mars baby It’s not that far
6.
Baobab 09:16
There is an ever gyrating Ever pulsing Ever spewing Fountain of bullshit Somewhere to the west Orange and pink rays Play upon its plumes Like water trickling down Leaves of a baobab Scenes flash, I watch them Pan into a short story of my tiny life My weakness towards Never standing up for What I know to be right I know your soul’s coming Into mine as I watch l This film on a tiny screen Is it an accident that My sobriety is Lacking, but it’s my belief- This is a cause Of my black heart and My stare does not remove itself From projections These times make me positive I was real, long ago My dresser drawers We’re full -undisturbed
7.
Boneless 07:30
Seeds fall From the heavens Water gestation Soft limbs Forming in the void Ancient king Born of the stars Pleiadian To fetid earth Ocean tumultuous Boneless one Seed the world
8.
Annunaki Star god Shining one Pleiadian Sumer Akkadia Assyria Babylon

about

Willow Ash have taken a sudden foray on this long player; entering into a 1970's inspired world of heavy blues/heavy psych (suited perfectly by the psychedelic cover art piece which was hand drawn and painted by E.A. Stathis) resulting in this bright, almost jangly start to the concept album, slowly degrading as it plays out through it's 55 minutes and 8 tracks into earthen, sludge filled riffage.

According to Google, Hypnagogia is stated as "The transitional state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep. During hypnagogia, it's common to experience involuntary and imagined experiences. These are referred to as hypnagogic hallucinations."
The album idea was conceptualized during the summer of 2020 when singer/guitarist Christopher Guest battled the phenomenon off and on for the majority of June and July. "It was awful" Guest is quoted as saying, "the hallucinations are ridiculous, almost silly at times but then they'll take this dark turn and it'll all at once become absolutely terrifying. No matter what, there is an immense feeling of fear or stress; like you know something isn't right but you can't stop what's happening."
The feeling is there from the opening few seconds of the intro which symbolizes the confusion of Hypnagogia; the whirlwind of action fought off only by the alarm clock. The feeling of the record as a whole is a fake, manic happiness laid as a thin veil over top an ocean of dark, almost murderous intent, much like a carnival of horrors.

Undeniably their best work so far, amid the myriad of seemingly never ending EPs, singles, and a smattering of LPs released, Hypnagogia makes it impossible not to bob your head. The groove starts at "A Witch's Window" and doesn't stop unto the hypnotic album closer "Paleo Contact Meditation" fades from view after reaching extraterrestrial nirvana. Guest's vocals change from song to song, morphing to the aesthetic of each - the garage rock inspired yelp in "...Window", the obviously Ville Vallo inspired goth croon of "Le Petite Mort", bood curdling bllack metal screams of "SPACE TRASHED!", the Al Cisneros inspired drawl of "Boneless" - all come together, coherently spitting out the contents of Guest's strange and buzzing mind.



CD-ONLY BONUS TRACK -- "Left Hand Path"

credits

released December 4, 2020

All music written and performed by Willow Ash copyright Vermont Dirt Music
Solos in "SPACE TRASHED!" and "Boneless" written and performed by Noah Labounty
Recorded summer 2020 at THE WHITE BOX Lyndonville, VT
Cover art hand drawn and painted by Elizabeth Stathis @elzbthstths
Photography by Nathan Somers @wratten25
Mastered by Meeks Audio Houston @meeks_audio_houston
Released and distributed by The Swamp Records @theswamprecordsusa

DENPA FUZZ Weekly Recommendation 12/6/20
denpafuzz.wordpress.com/2020/12/06/recomendaciones-de-la-semana-weekly-recomendations-54/

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR "HYPNAGOGIA" --

"The first thing that comes to mind is that you should be able to reach a bigger audience since this album is less obscure / underground than most of your other stuff" says ROB HAMMER

"Dude this entire album kicks fucking ass" says TODD LABOUNTY

"This is so nice! It sounds different but it is still Willow Ash" says TRANQUIL GROVE

"I think it's easily your best release" says MOUSE AND METAL

"This album kicks some major ass. It's heavy, dark, and full of doom" says HERE TO RUIN YOUR GROOVE

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