Today we have the privilege of sharing an early stream of a split 12″ LP/cassette release between Santa Cruz, California-borne projects COSMIC REEF TEMPLE and DEATH MONK. Completing a trilogy of split releases, which included Dipygus and Shrinkwrap Killers in 2020 and 2021 respectively, experimental psychedelic rock band Cosmic Reef Temple present a nighttime surf-riding and slinking groove sidled up next to a no-less atmospheric piece from droning atmosludge/doom metal band Death Monk. A culmination of slow wandering full-circled statements and lung filling resuscitations this pairing makes great sense thanks to the richly colorized palette each band carries into their own singular heavy moods, leaning into dark-toned dramatic highs in slow burning reveal. Don’t let yourself be intimidated by the sprawling ask of two ~18 minute pieces, each group do well to keep it steadily flowing and engaging throughout as we ride moonlit waves and spiral into abysm.

Thanks goes out to Wave Guardian Records for the opportunity to share this split album early. Scroll down to the YouTube embed below to finalize your descent… As always, please do your best to support the nether-realms of dark and psychedelic underground music and grab a copy on pre-order, or this coming February 29th, 2024:

• WAVE GUARDIAN RECORDS: @waveguardianrecords

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Per the Press Release:

“This is the final release from a trilogy of planned splits that Cosmic Reef Temple recorded back in 2018. After the original band to be paired with ‘Negative Gravity’ had become inactive before finishing their side a recording was exhumed from a now dormant project of a couple of the psychedelic priests of the Temple that was also intended as split with a band that ceased to exist before it was able to be released. That would be ‘Friar Mortis’ by the funeral doom band Death Monk, which was recorded by the band even further back in 2012. The Cosmic side was tracked and mixed by the esteemed Evil Wizard of Rock, Greg Wilkinson, at Earhammer. So the stems of the Death Monk side were sent to him for proper mixing and Wilkinson also mastered both sides to help keep a cohesive fidelity.

For the Cosmic side the band delved deeper into experimentation for this one as well as into darker and more extreme metal influences which pairs nicely with the blackened funeral doom aesthetic of Death Monk resulting in both a common thread and some juxtaposition. ‘Negative Gravity’ takes you from dissonant jazz to black metal and beyond, layered with sax and synth, while ‘Friar Mortis’ is a brooding build of droning riffs adorned by synth and organ. Together they fill a full length LP on vinyl and will also be releasing on cassette, both featuring the first oil painting for an album cover by the talented artist, Cass Ransom. This closing of the trilogy by Cosmic Reef Temple brings the evolution of their songwriting from the previous splits back into the more esoteric territory of their debut album, ‘Age of the Spaceborn’ and this early song of Death Monk shows the more primal side of the band as compared to their improvised works or their more epic songwriting featured on ‘Live on KFJC’.”

releases February 29, 2024

Cosmic Reef Temple:

Wave Guardian of the Reverberatory – Guitar
Sub-Frequency Fractal Emitter – Bass
Interstellar Time Keeper – Drums
Summoner of Galactic Storms – Synthersizer
Celestial Wind Talker – Saxophone

Death Monk:

Friar Eric – Guitar & Vocals
Friar Geoffrey – Bass
Friar Samuel – Drums
Friar Sleeper – Organ & Synth

Both songs mixed & mastered by Greg Wilkinson
‘Negative Gravity’ tracked at Earhammer by Greg Wilkinson
‘Friar Mortis’ tracked at PBRLabs by Death Monk

Pyramid Logo by William Bates-Minou
Inverted Cross Logo by Friar Samuel
Cover Artwork by Cass Ransom

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