International stoner/hard rock band Old Mine Universe released their debut album »This Vast Array«, out now via Witch City Music

International stoner/hard rock band Old Mine Universe has released their debut album »This Vast Array« on February 8th, 2023 via Witch City Music.

»This Vast Array« is now available for streaming and purchase at Bandcamp. Full release on Spotify, iTunes, etc. on February 28th, 2023.

Tracklist:
01. Dark They Were
02. Gates Of The Red Planet
03. No Mans Mesa
04. The Duster
05. Unearthed
06. My Shadow Devours
07. Sixes And Sevens
08. Cathedral Of Tomorrow
09. Vanishing Point
10. Cold Stream Guards [I. Sol Noctis, II. Faceless Mind, III. Punishments, IV. Clear Mountain, V. A False Ending]

Old Mine Universe is a five-piece heavy rock/psych band from Canada and South America. It was formed years ago, went into deep hibernation, and then rebirthed itself in 2022, creating »This Vast Array« during a sunless Canadian winter. Chris Pew (vocals), David E. (guitar), and Todd McDaniel (bass) are originally from Canada, while Erickson Silva (lead guitar) and Sol Batera (drums) hail from Brazil and Chile respectively. Old Mine Universe’s music is influenced deeply by its relationship with harsh landscapes, namely the high deserts of the American Southwest and Northern Chile, where several members have lived.

Musical influences include: Black Sabbath, early Judas Priest, Trouble, Masters Of Reality, Kyuss and its progeny, pretty much anything with John Garcia, Causa Sui, The Skull, Yawning Man, Rush, Neil Morse, etc. They are currently on a creative “high”, and will begin recording the follow up to »This Vast Array« in April 2023 in Ecuador.

About the album:

»This Vast Array« should be played during “the blue hour” – that time after sunset which affords the opportunity to gaze behind the curtain of consciousness.

Songs like »The Duster«, »No Mans Mesa« and »Vanishing Point« are songs born on myriad, solitary drives through the high deserts and canyons of the southwest.

»Dark They Were«, »Gates Of The Red Planet«, »Sixes And Sevens« and »Unearthed« contemplate the cosmos, spirits, heaven and earth, and the outer darkness. These songs are for stargazers and loners who are drawn to Dark Sky nights.

»My Shadow Devours« and »Cathedral Of Tomorrow« explore more humanistic themes of loss, doubt, and difficult choices.

And then, there’s »Cold Stream Guards« – an eight minute, multipart, fantasy-themed song about a nomad in an arctic world, drawing his final breaths. With nods to King Crimson, Rush, and even Jeff Buckley, this song is a “deep track” and includes no less than five guitar solos, mellotron, moog, acoustic guitar, and even cello.

[The title »This Vast Array« is a mixture of concepts. It’s partly inspired by a long ago visit to the Very Large Array (VLA) in remote New Mexico, the vastness of the desert landscape, and the infinite array of stars visible in dark sky territory]

Album credits:

All songs written and recorded by Old Mine Universe.

»This Vast Array« was tracked between February and April 2022 in a converted farmhouse in Canada, overlooking the Rouge River – with a red-tail hawk standing guard.

Fact: Country legend, Kenny Rogers, allegedly used to visit the next cottage over back in the day.

Additional recordings occurred in Pocos de Caldas, Brazil.

»This Vast Array« was mixed and mastered by Matt Kutoloski, of Sound Lab Studios, NYC. [Matt K. is also a session drummer, and one-time touring drummer for 40 Below Summer].

Label: Witch City Music

The album is dedicated to Rick McVicar and Otto Ertl, two great guys and original fans.

Old Mine Universe is:
Chris Pew – Vocals
Dave E. – Guitar
Todd McDaniel – Bass
Erickson Silva – Lead Guitar
Sol Batera – Drums

Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well