Album review
Military Genius – the project of Bryce Cloghesy, a member of the Canadian art-punk collective Crack Cloud – has announced a new album. Scarred for Life, the follow-up to his 2020 debut Deep Web, will land on November 1 via Unheard of Hope. Listen to the new single ‘Darkest Hour’ below.
“‘Darkest Hour’ encapsulates the feeling of being swept away by time, into an endless night,” Cloghesy reflected in a statement. “There is a certain melancholy in leaving the past behind, dwelling on simpler, antiquated ways of life as we are pushed forward. This message is poignant on a personal level — becoming a father has led me to contemplate my own childhood, witnessing a purity of emotion prior to self-awareness. This applies to a broader collective consciousness too, as the march of progress fundamentally alters our shared experience. It’s all about embracing the journey, stepping beyond the point of no return, and facing the future.”
The album’s title refers to a near-death experience Cloghesy had in 2012, when he fell through a window. “I tore up my left arm real good and never slowed down to process the trauma,” Cloghesy explained. “It took some time to realize that I had been working tirelessly for years, white-knuckling life without any tools to process stress or trauma. So there are many lyrics about that mental health journey, learning to cope and accept.”
Scarred for Life Cover Artwork:
Scarred for Life Tracklist:
1. Walk the Earth
2. Twisted Root
3. Darkest Hour
4. Scarred For Life
5. Window to the Soul
6. Forlorn Dub
7. Solitary Flame
8. Cactus Christ
9. This Prison
10. Into the Unknown
