A New Album And More With Acacia Strain
Photo Credit : Stu McDonald
Back in 2001, a deathcore band, The Acacia Strain, was formed in Chicopee, Massachusetts (my hometown!), and the rest is history since then. Since then, the band has accumulated over 135 million worldwide streams across all platforms, with their 2010 track “Beast” having over 10 million streams on Spotify alone. Acacia Strain members currently consist of Vincent Bennett, Vocalist, Devin Shidaker, Lead Guitarist, Griffin Lands, Bassist, Mike Mulholland, Guitarist, and Matt Gugielmo on Drums.
If you haven't already heard, Acacia Strain is releasing a brand new album, “You Are Safe From God,” on October 24th through Visa Records. This album consists of a 12-song set which includes;
"eucharist i: BURNT OFFERING"
"A CALL BEYOND"
"SWAMP MENTALITY"
"THE MACHINE THAT BLEEDS" (Feat. Brody King + Colin Young)
"MOURNING STAR"
"I DON’T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO MAKE IT"
"ACOLYTE OF THE ONE"
"AEONIAN WRATH"
"HOLY MOONLIGHT"
"SACRED RELIC"
"WORLD GONE COLD"
"eucharist ii: BLOOD LOSS" (Feat. Sunny Faris)
In a recent interview with the band, this is what they had to say about the new music announcement;
"This record unapologetically is The Acacia Strain; take that however you want," the band declared upon announcement. "It's angry, it's sad, it's us. We made a record that made us feel uncomfortable. We hope it makes you feel the same way." “Uncomfortable isn't a bad thing. Discomfort challenges you to expand yourself, and it can transform you.”
Currently, Acacia Strain has released the ninth track from the upcoming album, “Holy Moonlight,” along with a music video.
To stream “Holy Moonlight” HERE
The song in itself is a masterpiece; you can tell Acacia Strain stayed to their roots with this one. The breakdowns are out of this world, specifically toward 1:45 of the song. Vincent’s vocals are as crisp as can be, and honestly, the music video fits perfectly with the intensity of Holy Moonlight.
Some lyrics that resonated with me the most are
Start digging me a fucking hole
Untied the rope from my family tree
The one that bound me so tightly
Like a noose around my neck
You will never see me here again
Some of the insider, day-one fans may know, Vincent, Vocalist of Acacia Strain, regularly does gaming streams on the platform, Twitch. He is a big fan of the game “Bloodborne.” In the game, there is a sword called “Holy Moonlight” that can be obtained by defeating the boss “Ludwig, The Holy Blade.” The sword is very commonly known among game players, and I'm sensing some inspiration from the band's personal interests!
The music video was filmed during one of their recent live shows and includes clips of the band performing, the crowd moshing, and stage jumping. At the beginning of the video, Blaythe Steuer, Vocalist of No Cure, can be seen throwing himself into the crowd. My favorite parts of the music video are the camera close-up shots of Matt, the Drummer, as the drums become more prominent at certain points of the song. It adds a good touch to the videography.
Make sure to stay connected with The Acacia Strain through their social media platforms!
