It was the 2021 debut from Minneapolis, MN's Dead History that was my first exposure to the superb Landland Colportage label. While I don't own many of the imprint's releases, those that I do look absolutely breathtaking, which is why I was quick to pre-order the long-awaited followup, Departures. Out next Friday, June 6, Dead History's nine-song, 42-minute sophomore album presents another fantastic take on emotive post-hardcore that seamlessly blends textural nuances with a sweeping sense of energy—sure to bring some loose comparisons to mind, but indirectly enough that their identity remains their own (perhaps in part due to the lineup's connections to a range of prior groups—Align, Floodplain, Gratitude, Picturesque, etc.).
So, I'm excited to premiere the third single, "Oscillated," today. Dare I say, I think this is my personal favorite of the advance tracks thus far. The band had the following to share regarding this particular tune:
"I feel that of all the songs on Departures, 'Oscillated' was the most collaborative, which is what being in a band is all about. Everyone had such great ideas to contribute. I especially love how the instruments and the vocals interact with each other—all the different elements fit together like puzzle pieces. This is also one of my favorite songs to play live, because it has so much energy and I get to sing and scream. There's three vocal lines playing off each other at the end—Matt [Rezac, guitar] has some serious pipes and does a bit of howling, as does John [McEwen, bass]. Lyrics can mean many different things depending on the listener. I try not to interject my interpretation. Hopefully people have a connection to the words and get something inspirational out of it."
- Brad Senne (vocals)
"This one definitely has some Washington, D.C. post-hardcore worship going on. But I hear so many of our collective influences happening in 'Oscillated,' it's a hard song to put into an easily-labeled box—which was our goal with Departures as a whole."
- David Jarnstrom (drums)
"'Oscillated' came together organically over the course of a few jam sessions. It's definitely a band favorite. I like that the song takes a few sharp left turns, especially near the end when everything drops out, the progression changes to a minor vibe, and the guitars are doing that bit of call-and-response. The few times we've played it live, I can tell the audience has no idea what's coming next."
- Brock Specht (guitar)
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Aiming to begin shipping next week, Departures is now available for pre-order through Dead History and Landland Colportage via Bandcamp, on two different vinyl variants. LPs will also be up for grabs at Dead History's record release show on Friday, June 6 at Eagles #34 in Minneapolis. Eyes on Spotify and Apple Music for streaming. Also keep up with Dead History on Instagram and Facebook. Find more from Landland Colportage through their website.
