The morbidity that lines Esh and Arc’s latest album, Death Doesn’t Want You, isn’t purely ornamental. Between tons of vocal distortion that border on near violent intensity and dramatic articulation that provide perfect imagery, the duo know that tackling intense subject matter would spur a bevy of reactions. Luckily, the artists are fully aware that their creative approach is strategically unconventional. “This record was birthed out of a dark period in both of our lives. We both went through breakups, so this is pretty much an ‘I’m going to fuck to forget about you’ album,” Esh the Monolith explains. “But there is definitely juxtaposition on the album–there’s dark content but it can be really catchy.”
The Arcitype chimes in on this sentiment. “What we were going through lyrically–it’s biographical. And this album was made during a period of time when we were both single again and trying to pick up the pieces while ultimately figuring out who we are.” Death Doesn’t Want You is light years away from being your typical break up record. From the terrifying nature of the eponymous opening track to the macabre complacency of “Chase Me,” Death is a magnificently wayward exploration of the depraved spaces that occupy the human mind.
Although the overarching premise of the record could easily be considered as one big trigger warning, the pair knows that their creativity is more complex than that. “This was a very cathartic album…working everything out on paper definitely helped my happiness,” Esh gushes. “I’ve grown older and wiser through the process.” Arc cosigns his stance. “Death is basically a time capsule of a different part of our lives that we’re not in anymore, but it felt good to rehash all of these things. We made music that was real to us at the moment—music made from a genuine place. Hopefully, people who listen to it can experience what it means to push life to its limits.”
Photos by Jonna Mojica
Death Doesn’t Want You Tour Dates:
March 23rd– New Haven, CT -Three Sheets
March 24th– Brooklyn, NY -The Red Hook Bait and Tackle
March 25th– Philadelphia, PA -TBA
March 26th– Washington, DC -Club Heaven and Hell
March 27th– Richmond, VA -House Show
March 30th– Birmingham, AL -The Nick
March 31st– Memphis, TN -The Rockhouse
April 1st– Nashville, TN -The Mouthhole
April 2nd– Louisville, KY -Modern Cult Records
April 3rd– Columbus, OH -TBA
April 4th– Pittsburgh, PA -Black Forge Coffee House
April 5th– Buffalo, NY -The Mohawk Place
April 23rd– Providence, RI -Dusk