Bible Club and the thoughtful proggy alt rock / fear gach punk meditations of "Umbra" (Official Video)

 

"Through squinted eyes, I watch a man steal my bike / He makes light work of the chain / A Combination lock to bind myself along with the rest of them / Dark palms blot the sun in a desperate attempt to shield his blessed way..."


The thoughtful proggy alt rock / fear gach punk meditations of "Umbra" by Bristol's Bible Club, the title track of their sophomore EP dropping April 11th (2025) via Velvet Echoes, is dripping in the youthful anxiety of a fucked up world, an existential diatribic stomach ache. I am loving the beautiful guitar distortions, pulling crystallines shapes against rolling bass and drum anchors one minute and then potent angsty pummels the next. This tightly wound, jammy musical framework is perfect for the compelling vocal performance. The inherent tensions between the ever growing musical fury and evocative spoken social commentary is palpable.  

"I cast off these things
As I grow older, and weary
A leaf, suspended
Breaking loose of the bough that hangs over you
Like most of us, it descends freely
It doesn’t know that it’s already tied down
Looking back on it all, it doesn’t make that much sense now

Everyone cycling around not knowing why or how 

Just drudging on
for a bliss that’s promised
Rid me of this mind now
Tell me there’s truth, things will get better
The leaves keep on falling down
Just to be torn in the shredder
As I cast off these things
I grow older and weary
Rid us of these glassy eyes

Allow us all to see clearly"

As a baby boomer who has lived a long time and hoped that mankind, that our governments would evolve somehow, this past election (in America) has gutted me hard. The discussions with my adult children can be tough but we grab at straws of hope. That is ultimately what we all have to do, right? And ultimately as existential, as gloriously serious "Umbra" feels, there is hope coursing in between the poetic lines, the hard lines, deep lines like the ones on one baby boomers face.

LINER NOTES (excerpted):

[Serving as a powerful introduction to their most ambitious and conceptually focused work to date, 'Umbra' sees the four-piece crafting an intricate landscape that perfectly captures their evolution since their debut EP AD. The band describes the track as "a condemnation of societal monotony," layering politically charged spoken word over their signature blend of post-rock, post-punk, and shoegaze sensibilities.

"Umbra captures the stark awareness of a world stuck in disarray," the band reflects. The track's sonic architecture is built around what they describe as "interwoven guitars... sometimes stark and asymmetrical, sometimes unified and powerful," creating a dynamic foundation for their unflinching social critique of modern society. Staying true to their artistic vision, the band emphasises, "We try to keep our music diverse and unconventional." This commitment to innovation is evident throughout 'Umbra,' which defies easy categorisation while maintaining a cohesive artistic statement.

Produced by Dom Mitchison, the single exemplifies the band's creative evolution."We wanted to focus on our songwriting and explore where we could take our next project, with a developed sound and a core concept," they explain. The studio experience with Mitchison proved transformative: "It felt like a studio experience that we've truly grown from."]

I look forward to dipping into "Umbra" the EP-

Hang in there, show up to the fight, fight hard. Fuck Trump / Fuck Elon Musk. 

Full Lyrics:

Through squinted eyes, I watch a man steal my bike
He makes light work of the chain
A Combination lock to bind myself along with the rest of them
Dark palms blot the sun in a desperate attempt to shield his blessed way
I cast off these things
As I grow older, and weary
A leaf, suspended
Breaking loose of the bough that hangs over you
Like most of us, it descends freely
It doesn’t know that it’s already tied down
Looking back on it all, it doesn’t make that much sense now
Everyone cycling around not knowing why or how
Just drudging on
for a bliss that’s promised
Rid me of this mind now
Tell me there’s truth, things will get better
The leaves keep on falling down
Just to be torn in the shredder
As I cast off these things
I grow older and weary
Rid us of these glassy eyes
Allow us all to see clearly
Washed up
The smell
Of grease and fat
Fills the air
Bad taste
Bad smell
Little man
Small brain
Snake eyes
Thick lies

-Robb Donker Curtius

  

NOTES on the term fear gach punk which I coined in 2021.

There are probably a couple dozen bands that have a particular sound, a sound that feels potently feral, politico, tribal with scowling vox in between talking / ranting /somewhat singing. In a sense diatribal, angry, rabble rousing touching on big issues, societal issues, the oppressive nature of governments, the corporate thumb on everyday people, the assault on the "other", free speech and self determination, punching back, saying fuck you to racism, classism, and all kinds of sexism. While I will not mention these bands I have a sense that their sonic D.N.A., their seeds of malcontent and justice seeking might stem from two musical outfits, maybe directly, maybe tangentially, namely Death Grips (2010) out of Sacramento, California and Idles (2009) out of Bristol, England. It is what I imagine anyway and I am sticking with it (for now).

I think this sound is so potent, so prevalent that it deserves a new genre, a new name. I am going to call this genre feargach punk as redundant as that maybe.

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6o0TuDUeaxV6qUpT1LNgtk

https://www.instagram.com/bibleclubband/

https://www.facebook.com/BibleClub5643#



With the release of their debut EP, Bible Club embark on their first tour. Having established themselves in Bristol, London, and Southampton, the band deliver their sound to new places. With a captivating live set that dynamically shifts from punchy tracks to post rock soundscapes, Bible Club’s permeating sound is a refreshing and unique experience.

Bible Club, post punk, alternative rock, post rock, fear gach punk, "Umbra" EP, "Umbra" single, progressive rock, art punk, dense musicality, "Umbra" (Official Video), Bristol, London,