With Obsidian, Crobot's upcoming new album set for a September 13 release (Megaforce Records), today, the band announces the release of “Obsidian," the album’s title track single and music video.
"The ‘Obsidian' music video is a performance piece that we shot in this dilapidated house that was built in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania in 1900,” vocalist/lyricist Brandon Yeagley explained. “The ceiling was coming down, paint was falling off the walls, there’s drywall everywhere that had fallen from the ceiling, the place was just like a snapshot of a 1960’s-something place frozen in time. And there had been a public bar in the house that may have been one of the very first speakeasys in the town, which was where we shot this video."
“‘Obsidian' was the last song we worked on,” guitarist/songwriter Chris Bishop explained, "and we had already decided to have that be the album’s title. We had four different versions of the song, but, especially with the melodies and lyrics, we weren’t completely happy with it.” So, looking for a new perspective on the track, Chris and Brandon sent the song to Howard Jones, (ex Killswitch Engage and current singer of Light the Torch) who they'd worked with before.
“Howard just ran with it,” Brandon says, "and came back with what is now the final title track. And, it encapsules everything that I wrote about on the record. The lyrics are about reflection, taking on those aspects of who we are that we don’t necessarily like, but are all parts that round us out as people. The lyrics also illustrate what obsidian means to someone who’s a crystal collector, and the symbolism surrounding obsidian.”
While Yeagley prefers to leave most things ambiguous, he shines a bit more light on the song’s backstory. "I had been doing a lot of research on Druids, on Celtic shamans, different types of spirituality,” he explains. “I was born in the country's coal region and I was raised around anthracite coal. One day I went out for a walk just beyond my backyard, I’m walking around this tree, and sure as sh*t, there at my feet is a huge piece of black coal, the size of a softball. When I picked it up, I realized it wasn’t coal, and,” Yeagley laughs, "as a huge fan of 'Game of Thrones,' I thought there was no way this could be dragonglass."
And it was indeed a huge chunk of obsidian. "It was several weird things - strange synchronicities that led me to that stone," he adds. "I took it along with me to Jamaica when the band played Shiprocked, a cruise to Jamaica. That trip started with a tornado during load in, and then the boat was punctured and took on water, all while going through the Bermuda Triangle. When we got home and went to collect our luggage, the bag with the thousands of dollars worth of camera gear came down the conveyor belt completely open, and then we found out that our van had been struck by lightning. But the obsidian made it through.”
Crobot will join up with CKY for a 16-date U.S. tour that kicks off September 12 in Nashville, TN at The Mil at Cannery Hall.
Obsidian tracklisting:
"Obsidian"
"Come Down"
"Nothing"
"From The Ground"
"Disappear"
"Metal"
"The Flood"
"Ancient Druid Crown"
"Head Of The Beast"
"White Rabbit"
"Happiness"
"Obsidian" video:
"Come Down" visualizer:
(Photo - Kira Bishop)
