Despite the tsunamis, anti-winning and political cannibalism happening all around us, a ray of sunshine has struck on this tumultuous Friday with a new track from lone-wolf rock veteran Mark Lanegan, man of many hats and collaborations. Set for the upcoming Rage game, Burning Jacob’s Ladder is a slow-haunt stretch of greatness that features the inimitable Alain Johannes on guitar and backing vocals. Some of you know him from his work with Queens of the Stone Age and Them Crooked Vultures.
No word on whether the track will appear on Lanegan’s upcoming album, but Johannes is said to be taking collaborative part in those sessions. Keep an eye on Lanegan’s official site for updates, or just keep that dial tuned in to Antiquiet. We’ve got what you need.
Check out the sick Rage game trailer, featuring the track:
The new Mark Lanegan song, Burning Jacob’s Ladder, is available as a free download for a limited time at the official Rage: Untethered website.
Instrumentally, the song is unlike anything on his most recent solo album, Bubblegum. Rather, it is more musically similar to the recordings on his fourth solo album, Scraps At Midnight, or any of his earlier work up until Here Comes That Weird Chill. Lanegan’s voice, as it did more so in his earlier recordings, returns as the main focus, rather than being somewhat undercut by the heavy layering of instrumentals more prominent in his later solo recordings.
The song is both lyrically and instrumentally poignant, especially considering it was recorded for a video game. Given the deviation of the song from the material on Bubblegum, it is still vintage solo Lanegan; a somewhat minimalist guitar riff repeats for duration of the song, while Lanegan’s voice is layered several times, creating an effect that is more focused on his voice as opposed to the instruments. Towards the end of the song, Lanegan picks it up, singing in more of a rock-oriented growl as he did on several tracks in the 2002 Queens of the Stone Age album, Songs For The Deaf.
Mark Lanegan, in my opinion, is the best pure vocal talent to come out of the grunge movement by far. Everything he does is tinged completely with emotion, whether its with the Screaming Trees, Gutter Twins, Twilight Singers, Soulsavers, or in his solo catalog. Nonetheless, his solo work is by far his best, as he is the focus, rather than the entity of the band. I’m sure this is an indication of what’s to follow with his next solo record, tentatively scheduled for release this fall. If he follows this formula, his new record will be another gem in his catalog, spanning over 25 years.
RATING: 9.5/10
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