Earlier this month we saw the latest release from distinguished Oakland Death Rock band Esses, Bloodletting For The Lonely, a narrative album that explores the dark corners of the human experience – mental health spirals and splits, memory, traumatic relapse, and straight-up anxiety. While listening through, the listener realizes that absolutely nothing about the subject matter and the eerie music that underscores it is feigned. It is lived and reflected out to us at its fullest. The closing track ‘Schism’ brings everything to a heavy-hearted end that promises no happy ending, no riding off into the sunset. As vocalist Kel describes.
The song centers on the concept of two who are one, a conversation between these two people, the tug of war that occurs when one tries to become more dominant than the other, living like this, and how art can be a healing force. The album deals with mental health, trauma, symbolism and memory and this last song on the album is the keystone that brings it all together to finish the story – like the last chapter in a book.
Listen to the full album here and grab one from Batcave Productions or Atakra Productions.
