*shels is a band we haven’t written much about here at MetalSucks, mostly because… I honestly don’t have a good explanation. We’re just dopes I guess.

But Heavy Blog is Heavy has alerted me to the fact that the band has a new album coming out this summer called Plains of the Purple Buffalo (see how the above cover art makes sense now?). They’ve already released the first single, “Vision Quest,” which you can stream below.

Like the headline says, it ain’t metal — but it’s still extreme. HBiH compares it to “Clint Mansell’s epic film scores” (Requiem for a Dream, Moon, etc.), but it actually reminds me more of This Will Destroy You and Sleepmakeswaves, two other extreme-if-not-metal bands we love. Seriously, if you need a little chill time, you’re not gonna do much better than this.

Plains of the Purple Buffalo comes out June 27 via shelsmusic.

-AR

This Will Destroy You has to be one of the best not-really-metal bands to inexplicably get tons of coverage from the metal media. (I think it’d Decibel‘s fault, actually — at least, that’s where I learned about the band.) I seriously have to question the sanity of anyone who does not like this band. THEIR MUSIC IS JUST SO GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL AND SAD, it makes me wanna cry every time I hear it. I’m getting kinda choked up just typing about them.

So. The band has just announced a new album, called Tunnel Blanket, and released a new song from that album, called “Communal Blood.” And if you’re a damn fool who isn’t familiar with the incredibleness that is TWDY, well, they’re giving away “Communal Blood” for free download. Check it out after the jump. IT’S JUST SO GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL AND SAD. It’s like the touch of God!!!

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Despite what their name might suggest, This Will Destroy You are by no means a metal band. But I first read about them in Decibel and have subsequently fallen in love with them, so I’m taking a cue from Albert Mudrian and company and writing about them anyway.

So. Like I said – not at all metal. They make quiet (no pun intended), achingly beautiful, and, at least to my way of hearing them, often incredibly depressing music – but, like, depressing in the best possible way. You know how sometimes you hear a piece of music and you’re like, “How is it that random sounds artfully pieced together can trigger such emotions within me?” Pretty much everything I’ve ever heard by TWDY is that way. These dudes are magic. (Also not hurting my ardor for them: they write great songs to vaporize to.)

I’ve yet to see these dudes live, but it looks like I’ll get to remedy that little problem in the coming weeks – Lambgoat tells me they’re heading out on tour. Now, the risk with a band like this is always that their live show will be really boring, but I’m optimistic in this instance because, well, like I said, I really, really like this band.

Complete list of dates after the jump.

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Best money I ever spent.

What a beautiful song.

-AR