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Jul 26, 2017 By Christopher Roberts Chelsea Wolfe

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Chelsea Wolfe is releasing a new album, Hiss Spun, on September 22 via Sargent House. Previously she shared its first single, the dark and oppressive “16 Psyche.” Now here’s an equally dramatic new song, the black metal (or doom metal) sounding “Vex.” The song features Troy Van Leeuwen (Queens of the Stone Age, Failure) and Aaron Turner (Old Man Gloom, SUMAC). Listen below, followed by her upcoming tour dates.

The Fader premiered “Vex” and as a press release points out, Wolfe had this to say to them about the song: “Every day, at dawn and dusk, a mysterious hum resounds in the deep sea for about an hour. The source of this hum is unknown, but it may be a kind of instinctual guide to the creatures who live in those dark depths, to rise and feed, surviving another day.

“I follow my own hum, pushing forward despite anxieties, nightmares, and scavengers that try to pull me down into their depths. I also acknowledge my own fragility in contrast to my own strength and anger.

“‘Vex’ began almost as a black metal song, with a pummeling blast beat, then Ben (Chisholm) and I stripped it back to a more industrial electronic sound. Once we were in the studio, Jess Gowrie’s drums and Troy Van Leeuwen’s guitar parts began to shepherd it back toward its heavy origins.

I knew from the beginning that I wanted Aaron Turner’s voice somewhere on this album, and could hear him in my head on ‘Vex.’ I had already recorded my vocals for the song but decided to send it to Aaron without them on. Happily, the first time we played it back with both vocal parts they fit together in a very compelling way.”

Turner had this to say about collaborating with Wolfe: “The invitation to contribute vocals to ‘Vex’ was a welcome if slightly daunting prospect. Aesthetically it’s a leap for me to meld a harsh vocal approach with music as melodically inclined as Chelsea’s. Added to that was the fact that I was working remotely rather than us all being in a room together discussing the work as it was unfolding. This removed approach to collaboration imposes a distance that can be hard to overcome. That said, feeling apprehensive about trying something and reckoning with the vulnerability of potential failure is more of an impetus to do something for me rather than a deterrent - perhaps increasingly so as time goes on. In the end it was surprising how seamlessly I was able to find my way into the song, and perhaps more importantly, how enjoyable it was to work on. Aside from facing fear as a primary creative motivator, having fun making music is an eternal goal. Working on this track provided an opportunity for both and I’m thankful to CW for entrusting me with their work given the leap of faith required for all involved.”

Kurt Ballou (Converge) recorded the album, which features guitar contributions by Van Leeuwen on the whole album. The album is the follow-up to 2015’s Abyss.

A previous press release says the album “was conceived as an emotional purge, a means of coming to terms with the tumult of the outside world by exploring the complexities of one’s inner unrest.”

Wolfe had this to say about the album in the previous press release: “I’m at odds with myself. I got tired of trying to disappear. The record became very personal in that way. I wanted to open up more, but also create my own reality.”

Read our 2015 The End interview with Wolfe about endings and death.

Chelsea Wolfe Tour Dates:

9/28 - Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room
9/30 - Los Angeles, CA - The Regent Theater
10/2 - San Diego, CA - Belly Up Tavern
10/3 - Tucson, AZ - 191 Toole
10/4 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom
10/6 - Austin, TX - Paramount Theatre
10/7 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall
10/8 - Dallas, TX - Kessler Theatre
10/10 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
10/11 - Atlanta, GA - Aisle 5
10/13 - Chapel Hill, NC - Cat’s Cradle
10/14 - Baltimore, MD - Baltimore Soundstage
10/15 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
10/17 - New York, NY - Irving Plaza
10/19 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair
10/20 - Montreal QC - Le National
10/21 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
10/22 - Detroit, MI - El Club
10/24 - Chicago, IL - Metro
10/25 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club
10/27 - Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
10/28 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
10/30 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
10/31 - Vancouver, BC - Venue Nightclub
11/1 - Portland, OR - The Wonderland Ballroom
11/3 - Sacramento, CA - Ace Of Spades
11/4 - San Francisco, CA - The Regency Ballroom

* Youth Code will open all shows

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