If you’ve followed the press cycle for Eat the Shadow, the sophomore LP from Athens quartet Grand Vapids, you’ll know that it’s a record borne in large part from tragedy and turmoil. Like many young bands with a modicum of early success, the group spent much of the period following their 2015 debut Guarantees in a state of doubt and uncertainty, unsure of where to proceed next. Entire recording sessions were scrapped, internal conflicts emerged, lineup changes ensued, and the band suffered through an identity crisis that forced them to reevaluate who they were and what they wanted from their musical partnership. Having survived those dark years, however, Grand Vapids have reemerged a more ambitious, assured, and cohesive unit.

Still, you can hear all that calamity and dysfunction lingering throughout Eat the Shadow. There’s a brooding tension that infiltrates almost every moment of the LP, injecting each coiled riff and wiry post-punk groove with a moody, ruminative intensity. From the opening notes of the nervy lead cut “Disjecta,” it’s clear the band were intent on stretching themselves, working to craft an album that is both beautifully austere and remarkably expansive. Indeed, whether it’s the strangled crawl of “Shallow,” the taut tension and release dynamics of “Glassing Out,” or the angular lurch of “Radiant Black,” Grand Vapids consistently find compelling ways to unpack their bad memories and emotional unrest, resulting in a sophomore effort that is gripping and thrillingly cathartic.

Listen below.

Eat the Shadow is out tomorrow. Pre-orders are available here.

Grand Vapids will celebrate the release of Eat the Shadow on Sat., July 13 on the Georgia Theatre Rooftop alongside Sailors and Ships and Paradise Montage. Doors open at 7 p.m. A second release show goes down on Thu., July 18 at the EARL alongside Semicircle. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is 48. 21+ to enter.

More Info
Web: grandvapids.com
Bandcamp: grandvapids.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @grandvapids
Instagram: @grandvapids
SoundCloud: @grand-vapids
Twitter: @grandvapids