It’s always good seeing a band from Denver doing cool things. I love to shout out bands from my area, as you’re well aware, and to find one I was woefully ignorant of only to fall in love with them immediately is something special. Today’s subject falls firmly in that category: heavy metal trio Cloud Catcher.
Around since 2015, this group specializes in classically-tuned heavy metal with a dash of doom/stoner tones to fill out those crisp melodies. They got a new album coming out on September 29 with the help of Cauldron Audio Works and it’s called Return From The Cauldron, eight tracks of dick-kicking, groovy metal that gets you moving… or at least I assume based on the two tracks I’ve heard. We’re here today to premiere their latest song from the album, “Wield The Blade”!
Taking some cues from Judas Priest and Budgie, and in doing so aligning themselves with fellow modern greats like Green Lung and King Witch, this is about as mainline heavy metal as possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s without nuance. “Wield The Blade” has a remarkable sense of melody and pacing to it with rapid-fire riffs that shapeshift to rocket the track forward. Soaring vocals and pounding drums help fill out its sonic palette for a fully-fledged metal marmalade that wouldn’t be out of place in the arenas of the late ’70s, maybe in some bell bottoms and big-ass hair.
Guitarist/vocalist Rory Rummings provides some nice context for the track’s theme and inspiration:
‘The themes in “Wield The Blade” are about persevering through the cyclical nature of reality. This was written in a time of tremendous personal growth, when I had been coming to terms and understanding what the continuous faults of myself were in the previous years. There was a conscious decision made to not let this realization defeat or define my existence, and to instead ‘wield the blade’ meaning to continue the battle onward and inward toward personal victory’
Hell yeah, we love a self-aware, progressive king up in this motherfucker. Real recognize real, and I’m real elated with what Cloud Catcher are bringing to the table with their music. If you feel the same way, you can get Rocky Mountain riffed on by visiting their Bandcamp, perhaps even preordering Return From The Cauldron before its release on 9/29 via Cauldron Audio Works, and give their Facebook and Instagram a follow to keep up on their movements. They even play a record release show at local Denver music institution Hi-Dive on 9/30 with Green Druid and The Munsens!
Band photo by Victor Rollins
This band rips so hard! Seen ’em live a few times and they never disappoint, just pre-ordered the album today. Wield The Blade is whatsup!! You dudes are making Denver proud.