One of the most wonderful things about doom metal is, without a doubt, its versatility. For example, it can be brutish and deadly by using the tropes of death metal to create a menacing frenzy. Doom metal can also siphon some of the most heartrending emotion one could feel. Whether that be by employing atypical metal instruments or penning somber words. These are simply two examples of how doom metal is morphic by nature. For the Oregon duo of A Stick and A Stone, doom takes the shape of minimalistic folk music. The pairing of Elliott Harvey and Myles Donovan returns this month with their third full-length album, The Long Lost Art of Getting Lost.
Harvey and Donovan weave together this minimalism and folk together with a sludge-fueled tone and post-rock atmosphere. Take "Prescription" for example. The album's third track opens on a big bass note before driving towards an ethereal landscape that resembles bands like Om. Harvey's androgynous voice is wildly unique and adds a transcendent quality to the duo's music. Combined with Donovan's viola, A Stick and A Stone untethers from normal metallic qualities. Instead, they achieve their intensity through intricate and almost contradictory arrangements and evocative lyrics.
Listen to "Prescription" below. The Long Lost Art of Getting Lost arrives on July 21st in various formats. Sentient Ruin Laboratories is handling the cassette and eventual LP release in the United States. Breathe Plastic and Cold Recordings are handling the tape and LP releases in Europe, respectively. Spirit House is in charge of the CD release. A Stick and A Stone is also on Facebook. Listen to a previously released track here.
