You ought to listen to music that speaks to you.
Initial Thoughts
“Distant Stars / Painted Wings” is a track that speaks to me. Within this door-closed, headphones on, lights off scenario, the noisy, sludgy guitars and fuzz cuts through all of one’s exterior.
In the movie Hercules, (shoutout to 1997) The Fates are a group of three sisters, who share one eye they use to see into the future. Ultimately, they determine the death of mortals, by cutting their ‘Thread of Life’. True Deceiver, in all their relative obscurity, are playing those strings in this existential masterpiece.
After listener to “Distant Stars / Painted Wings”, I did some background work on the band. They rather modestly left out the link to their Bandcamp in their email, and even sent us a free copy of Particles to listen to, in hopes we wrote a piece on them. With the insane amount of submissions and emails we receive at IMPOSE, it is not possible to support every submission or artist we come across — there is neither the time nor the money. We’re a music magazine, for God’s sake…
But after listening to the above track, I was inspired, moved, compelled — all of it. Working at an indie/underground music publication, even if you have never picked up an instrument in your life (I haven’t in a while), you develop a rather wholehearted appreciation for the work that goes into the art. Possessing the creative freedom to pick and choose — to a reasonable degree — what we cover and feature at IMPOSE, I prefer to write about music I care about and believe in.
I believe in True Deceiver, Particles, and many people that cross our path in this work. True Deceiver and their newest album, that was released back in November, is worth your attention and worth sharing.
Background
True Deceiver, surprisingly, is a one-man-band. Tom Filepp is behind it all, as the Portland, Oregon, based producer, best known via Square Into Circle, Fake Four, and Cars And Trains. It was actually fairly difficult to find a good background on Filepp, but we do know a handful of his influences:
- Godflesh
- My Bloody Valentine
- Killing Joke
- Godspeed You!
- Black Emperor
Verdict
“Distant Stars / Painted Wings” was the perfect introduction to the incredible collection that is Particles. As an experience, it does not take much more persuasion than the initial 3 tracks to listen to the record in its entirety. The album itself is a complexly layered, calm, and assertive sludgy pilgrimage. Even the closing track “Particles” walks a tightrope between highly energetic and yet tranquil enough to bring one peace.
As “Particles” progresses, the vocal arrangements only climb in intensity and complexity, rounding out one of the most memorable albums I have heard in my life. The atmospheric, existential, mind-occupancy that Filepp and Particles champions is reminiscent of Sigur Rós’ Ágætis Byrjun, earning True Deceiver an honest 5/5.
Support
You can purchase Particles on True Deceiver’s Bandcamp for $9, or get a physical copy for a dollar more. To keep up with news, you can give True Deceiver a like on Facebook, too.
