The Devil Wears Prada frontman Mike Hranica already has a busy fall ahead of him, with the longtime metalcore unit heading out on the road. And while that band have explored some experimental, synth-styled tangents through recent singles, Hranica’s apparently getting even wilder through a new solo project he’s also got on the go called Town of Lake, which has just released an experimental western-drone single called “No Gloss”
Town of Lake’s debut single will be part of its forthcoming Lilac full-length, which arrives in full October 4th. The project was inspired by anything from Swans and Jesus Lizard, to Nick Cave and Iggy Pop, to the writings of Vladimir Nabokov, and is further described as “an expression of absolute musical freedom, motivated by nothing other than the maker’s passion.”
On “No Gloss,” which you’ll find in the visualizer above, those influences transmute into drawling, western-style speak-sing passages, which come complemented by trebly guitar twang, hypnotically-seedy groove minimalism, and an extended electronic-static drone in its mid-section. If you’re thinking it’s quite a bit different from TDWP, that’s exactly the point.
“I have no care or concern for Town of Lake’s appeal,” Hranica said in a statement. “I’ve been playing in The Devil Wears Prada since the band’s inception and I fully recognize that music on a more challenging scale will not likely be received as openly.”
Hranica did, however, reach out to TDWP bassist Mason Nagy to help him put together Lilac, as well as co-collaborator Andy Nelson (Weekend Nachos). The album was mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Services, and pre-orders are up over here.
As previously reported, The Devil Wears Prada launch their fall North American trek October 25th at Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Intersection venue, and keep the tour running until the beginning of December. You’ll find more info on the dates over here.
Lilac tracklisting:
Shall I Let You Leave Me + Sin Título
Can of Soup
No Gloss
The Valley
Death of a Neighborhood
Reading Off My Dreams
Tumult / Cheater
Where At?
How I Feel
Drops Gather