Leading us into her deepest introspective journey, Kaery Ann presents her debut album Songs of
Grace and Ruin, out now on Anomic Records.
In 2017 Erika Azzini started to write most of these songs, inspired by a very hard moment of her life,
creating first the basic structure with voice and guitar, then building up the arrangements and
recording some demos with the help of Giuseppe Lodrini. Two years later she met Francesca Papi
(bass), who suggested rearranging the songs together with her and Davide Rosa (guitar).
The album was recorded and mixed in 2021 at Fox Studio Venice by Andrea Volpato, who also
performed the drums, and mastered by Giovanni Versari.
As both the artwork and the title suggest, the sound is marked by the juxtaposition of melancholic and
aggressive moods, while keeping its delicacy intact.
Alluring and ethereal vocals, hypnotic guitar delays and distortions intertwined with a gloomy bass and
a visceral rhythm section, create a blend of dreamy psychedelic desert rock, mixed with 90s grunge
vibes.
For Erika this album is not only an inner awakening to leave behind her own hardships, but also an
unconditional surrender in the face of her own fears and vulnerabilities, which she has accepted and
brought to the surface, as her smooth and almost whispered singing style emphasizes even in the
harsher lyrics.
Words and sound both explore the darkest shades of the soul: rage, depersonalization and obsessive
thoughts are matched with the heaviest grunge distortions of Rust and Love (the opening track and
the most recent one) and Acoustic Rain. Melancholia pervades the dreamy dark-wave atmosphere of
Blue Eyes and the mesmerizing instrumental that accompanies the poem Mother. Sick love and
emotional addiction are told in the sad ballad Moon Lies. Ghosts of the minds embodied by animals,
haunting solitude and nightmares inhabit Desert Song and White Cage, which also concludes the
album with a psych-folk mood, slowly fading out.
All the songs have been co-arranged with the help of Francesca Papi, bass (who also helped
co-writing Rust and Love and Mother) and Davide Rosa, guitar. All lyrics are written by Erika Azzini.
Aesthetic and artwork are rife with symbolism, such as the Triquetra symbol, the drawings inspired by
C.J Jung’s Systema Munditotius, the triangle-shaped church on the cover photo and the white lily at
the center, representing the triumph of grace over the ruin.
A Berlin based record label started in 2020. We love noise, rock 'n' roll and musicians with soul. Digital and physical releases from bands and artists around the world.
supported by 6 fans who also own “Songs of Grace and Ruin”
Goose Bumps... how can a record take you on such a journey?!? This one just does for me... I feel like she's in my mind at times... Love this record so much... and exhale! Vinyl-222
Fuzzy Austin trio follow up their first album in 20 years, released in Spring 2015, with a stomping new EP of noisy rock & roll. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 26, 2016