SERPENTS OF SECRECY: Metal Injection Premieres “Broke The Key/In The Lock” Video From Baltimore Doom Act; J. Robbins-Produced Ave Vindicta Full-Length Out Now

November 18, 2020 Infrared Magazine Music News Comments Off

photos by Shane Gardner

Baltimore, Maryland-based doom outfit SERPENTS OF SECRECY – formed by members of Sixty Watt Shaman, King Giant, Foghound, Borracho, and more – released their J. Robbins-produced debut album, Ave Vindicta, on Halloween. In the wake of its release, the band proudly presents their official music video for the album’s closing conjoined tracks “Broke The Key/In The Lock” through an exclusive premiere at Metal Injection. The album and the video have been released in honor of their bandmate, the late Rev. Jim Forrester, who was tragically murdered in 2017.

Writes SERPENTS OF SECRECY’s Todd Ingram of the “Broke The Key/In The Lock” video, “Chuck Dukehart and Shane Gardner developed the concept for the video and its symbolism. It was filmed at Soldiers Delight Overlook Park in Maryland. Oddly enough, we had to hike the Serpentine Trail for about twenty minutes to get to the clearing where most of the footage was shot. It must have been a sight to see, all of us hauling gear through the woods on some pretty rough terrain. And when Shane was shooting the solo footage of Mark singing along to the track, sometimes we had families walking the trail behind us who seemed very confused as to what was going on.

Shane brought an excellent crew with him to include a drone pilot for those overhead shots which adds an extra dimension to Jim’s perspective of the scene. You’ll get what I mean when you see the video. The song and video are a tribute to our brother and ultimately a celebration of his music. The second half is the track ‘In the Lock.’ It’s the tongue in cheek Rev. Jim Power Hour preaching concept that Mark came up with as we were finishing the album. That’s the celebration part. And the smile on Mark’s face as the sun sets behind us captures our sentiment perfectly. You’ll see it starting around the 5:12 mark. It was something I noticed when reviewing different edits. The sun was setting quickly so we really only had one pass to grab that footage. It’s a real moment of connection that just happened. I’m so glad Shane captured it.”

Metal Injection offers, “SERPENTS OF SECRECY recently released their new album Ave Vindicta and you absolutely need all its groovy riffs in your life.”

Watch SERPENTS OF SECRECY’s “Broke The Key/In The Lock” video first only at Metal Injection RIGHT HERE.

Ave Vindicta was engineered by J. Robbins and Matt Redenbo and recorded and mixed by J. Robbins at Magpie Cage Studios Baltimore, Maryland (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Government Issue), with the keyboards engineered and recorded for “The Cheat” and “Dealer’s Choice” by Adam Micalczu at Empire Studios in Windsor, Ontario, and mastered by Dan Coutant at Sun Room Audio in New Windsor, New York. The album is completed with cover art by Joe “Joweone” Nasatka, photography by Shane Gardner, and graphics by Bill Kole. Ave Vindicta features guest keyboards on “The Cheat” and “Dealer’s Choice” by Mark Calcott and by J. Robbins on “Bleeding Still.”

SERPENTS OF SECRECY released Ave Vindicta through their own Moving The Earth Records on Halloween – Rev. Jim’s favorite holiday – through all digital providers as well as a limited run of CDs. Place orders including limited edition merch and more at Bandcamp HERE and the band’s webshop HERE.

SERPENTS OF SECRECY has been working on Ave Vindicta for several years. Shortly after the bulk of the album was recorded in 2017, bassist Rev. Jim Forrester (also of Sixty Watt Shaman, Foghound) was slain on the streets of Baltimore. The band spread the word to help track down his murderers while dealing with their own personal loss of their dear friend, leaving the record to the side as it was just too painful to hear. Finding solace in the fact that Jim would have wanted the album to see release, the band completed the album two years to the day since Forrester was killed. It was the first time they had been in the same room together for almost as long, and everything just clicked.

SERPENTS OF SECRECY’s Ave Vindicta delivers more than fifty-two minutes of hard rocking classic doom metal. With Forrester’s bass riding high in the mix, guitarist Todd Ingram (King Giant, Pimmit Hills), drummer Chuck Dukehart III (Foghound, Sixty Watt Shaman), guitarist Steve Fisher (Borracho), and vocalist Mark Lorenzo (Zekiah, Crawler) create an album as inwardly personal as it is thundering to the passing listener. The songs are clearly rooted in and fed by the fertile doom metal their hometown and surrounding area is internationally known for yielding, with an overwhelming bounty of powerful, dynamic, grooves delivered from an intensely soulful core.