NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – October 31, 2024
Yellowknife’s GNARWHAL’s New Video “War / Nothing More” Speaks of Survival From Their Hometown Wildfires
New EP “Altered States” Out Now!
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From the far reaches of the Canadian North in the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife’s award-winning (Best New Single at the 2022 Music NWT Awards) Gnarwhal unleashed their doomy stoner sludge rock sound to the masses with their latest EP “Altered States” this past May.
Today, the quartet presents its new music video for the track “The War/Nothing More”. The video depicts the real-life chaos of wildfires and evacuations that the band experienced first-hand last year in Yellowknife creating this unsettling strangeness in real time.
“It was a messy, scary, disturbing, wild, incomprehensible, maddening, dangerous, and disorienting experience for an entire territory. We wanted to represent a fever dream version of our new reality as an act of personal catharsis that speaks to our reality that wildfires act as nature’s regenerative agent and bring forth rebirth. Sometimes, only through brutality and pain does life start new,” says the band.
For the music video, Gnarwhal teamed with their friends from Yellowknife’s amazing Artless Collective studio.
“They were totally into undertaking this creative journey with us. The Creative Vision is a fever-dream assault on the senses, The War Nothing More tells the surreal experience of the band in the sudden throes of fighting for their northern home, burning to the ground by wildfire. Close to Yellowknife reality in 2023 but based in a strange alternate “Yellowknife”, this world is full of smoke, black charred forests, and strange illusions. Apocalyptic, surreal, and vibrating with strange energy. After spitting out of the belly of a narwhal, the men are in possession of the last 4 ‘seeds’ available to mankind (not revealed til the end) and they must travel towards their demise across the desiccated landscape, surviving a dangerous and surreal journey to ‘plant’ the last ‘seeds’ in a specific location. There they will pay the ultimate sacrifice to initiate the regrowth of their charred world in a hot and searing fever dream. Paying loose homage to the surreal style of Alejandro Jodorwosky films like Holy Mountain and El Topo, and utilizing new AI technology to raise the visual bar, mixing live action on a 360 8K camera that allows for maximum shooting ease, this is a visual journey that is to be felt/understood more on an emotional/subconscious level.” adds the band.
Watch the music video for “The War / Nothing More” via its premiere on MetalInsider HERE.
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The band’s sophomore record, “Altered States” represents a significant evolution in Gnarwhal‘s musical journey, offering a darker and heavier atmosphere compared to their debut release. From the haunting melodies of “Tides” to the introspective depth of “From Her Hands”, each track on the EP contributes to a cohesive and immersive listening experience.
The creation of the EP was not without its challenges, as the band navigated the uncertainties of the pandemic and unforeseen obstacles during the recording process. Despite these hurdles, Gnarwhal remained steadfast in its commitment to delivering a powerful and authentic musical statement. “Altered States” was produced and mixed by Dan Ponich, mastered by David Collins, and the album artwork was done by Jonah Cutler.
“We hope our progression as a band and as songwriters appeals to our fans and listeners. The Altered States EP is a bit darker and maybe heavier than our first one. Conceptually and thematically, the songs on the EP fit together better as a package and we hope this is conducive to a front-to-back experience for listeners.” says guitarist Benji Srtaker.
Recommended for fans of Kyuss, Mastodon, Truckfighters, and Elder, “Altered States” was released on May 24, 2024, and is available at https://gnarwhalband.bandcamp.com
and Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3YHlaro
Previous singles:
Lyric Video – “Altered States” – https://youtu.be/yLtXbxLuFrY
Lyric Video – “Tides” – https://youtu.be/ix726UB1FKU
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Track Listing:
1. Tides (3:37)
2. The War / Nothing More (6:36)
3. From Her Hands (3:46)
4. Altered States (3:19)
More info: Gnarwhalband.com | Facebook.com/gnarmusic | Instagram.com/gnarwhalsounds
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“Gnarwhal moves along at its own Fuzzed Out Stoner pace with its style of Hard Rock and slightly Doom tinged grooves. Taking cues from bands such as Mastodon, The Sword, Elder and King Buffalo, these guys walk a fine line between Classic and Modern day Stoner sensibilities especially with the Proggy Spaced out vibes. There’s a HEAVY METAL beast waiting to escape from the cleaner grooves that Gnarwhal plays and when it does escape from its cage, Gnarwhal becomes a more exciting creative unit.” – Outlaws of the Sun
““Tides,” a brutal, stormy track that meshes fuzzy, downtuned vibes with unrelenting proggy rhythms. Forlorn vocals that seem to prophesy the inevitable collapse of civilization, as illustrated by the single art.” – Doomed And Stoned
“Altered States follows Canadian four-piece Gnarwhal‘s 2023 self-titled debut full-length with four songs that effectively bring together atmosphere and impact in the six-minute “The War Nothing More” — big build in the second half leading to more immediate, on-beat finish serving as a ready instance of same — with twists that feel derived of the MastoBaroness school rhythmically and up-front vocal melodies that give cohesion to the darker vibe of “From Her Hands” after displaying a grungier blowout in “Tides.” The terrain through which they ebb and flow, amass and release tension, soar and crash, etc., is familiar if somewhat intangible, and that becomes an asset as the concluding “Altered States” channels the energy coursing through its verses in the first half into the airy payoff solo that ends.” – The Obelisk
“With their innovative sound and thought-provoking lyricism, Gnarwhal continues to push the boundaries of heavy music and establish themselves as a formidable force in the Canadian rock landscape and Altered States is a testament to Gnarwhal‘s ability to seamlessly blend diverse influences into a cohesive sonic tapestry.” – Amplify The Noise
“To Canada, Yellowknife to be precise, and the fuzzed-up, whacked-out goodness of Gnarwhal. The band has not long since released a nice little EP, Altered States, that simply oozes class. At times they inject a bit of space rock quirkiness – that should probably be quarkiness, given that first track Tides carries more than a whiff of Hawkwind about it – but for the most part this is wholesome, fuzzy doom of the highest order.” – Sentinel Daily
“rich in beautiful qualities in a vein that is both granite and catchy, these four titles confirm that Gnarwhal a group to follow closely. ” – Music Waves
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