Spirit Was is the moniker of visual artist and mult-instrumentalist Nick Corbo, formerly of the band LVL UP. Today he’s announced plans for his debut album, Heaven’s Just A Cloud, which will arrive on October 22 through Danger Collective Records. He’s also shared the opening track, “I Saw The Wheel”, saying:
“It’s about waking up in the back of the van on the highway in the middle of the country with nothing out there on either side and coming to the realization your band is gonna break up soon. Also, the bizarre sensation of finally seeing a shape in perspective while making a drawing.”
Beginning as a muscular slowcore song, reminiscent of Boston contemporaries Pile, “I Saw The Wheel” places us right in the frigid tourbus: “I woke up on the highway / cold and clear.” From there, we feel Spirit Was’ numbness and foreboding, the crawling pace of the song accentuating the words as he watches “the slow sun coming down heavy.” As if that wasn’t weighty enough, with ponderous yet compelling pace, he drags us further into his funk, until he reaches a point where he feels “the whole thing’s coming down heavy.”
But, just as you think “I Saw The Wheel” will collapse in on itself – instead, it explodes. Pivoting into a black metal song, it finds Spirit Was transforming his apathy into elemental doomsaying, calling on strength from the underworld as he rasps about “Oblivion, breath of the world / left to die in a wave of total isolation.” There may not be a shred of light to be found in “I Saw The Wheel”, but it sure is a blast.
Watch the video below or find “I Saw The Wheel” on streaming platforms.
Spirit Was’ debut album Heaven’s Just A Cloud is out on October 22 through Danger Collective (pre-order). You can find Spirit Was on Bandcamp and Instagram.
