Bloom (Caligula's Horse album)

Last updated

Bloom
Caligula's Horse - Bloom (2015).png
Studio album by
Caligula's Horse
Released16 October 2015
StudioHeaven's Gate Studios, Brisbane
Genre
Length44:53
Label Inside Out Music
Producer Sam Vallen
Caligula's Horse chronology
The Tide, the Thief & River's End
(2013)		Bloom
(2015)		 In Contact
(2017)
Singles from Bloom
  1. "Marigold"
    Released: 29 September 2015
  2. "Firelight"
    Released: 13 October 2015
  3. "Turntail"
    Released: 22 March 2016

Bloom is the third studio album by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse. It was released through Inside Out Music on 16 October 2015 in Australia and 30 October 2015 in the United States. The album was recorded at Luna Audio Studios on the Gold Coast alongside Sam Vallen's personal studio, mixed by Brendan Anthony at Heaven's Gate Studios in Brisbane, then mastered by Jens Bogren. The album was produced by guitarist Sam Vallen. It is the last to feature rhythm guitarist Zac Greensill and drummer Geoff Irish.

Contents

Background

In June 2015, it was announced that Caligula's Horse had signed for a "worldwide deal" with Inside Out Music (Century Media Records). Additionally, the band announced they would be touring Australia and, for the first time, Europe later that year. Vocalist Jim Grey described the signing as "a huge step for us". [1]

In July 2015, the band revealed that their third album Bloom would be released that year in Europe on 16 October and in the United States on 30 October. Commenting on the news, Grey stated: "Bloom is very special to all of us – it's an album full of colour and life, vibrancy and energy, but one that breathes in and out with a natural ebb and flow…It's exactly what we hoped to achieve with Caligula's Horse. To us, this album has a life of its own." The band also announced dates for an extensive tour throughout Australia and Europe in support of the upcoming release. [2]

In August 2015, Team Rock reported the track listing for the impending album featuring a short YouTube video of Jim Grey introducing each member of the band, where Grey describes Bloom as "a step away from darkness". [3] On 29 September 2015, premiere video single "Marigold" was featured by Revolver. Grey told Revolver that the song "captures the essence of Bloom" with "pure energy", "vibrant colour", and a "powerful, uplifting message". Grey went on to discuss the theme of the song, saying "a person can not be judged by what they earn, or what they own, but by those they love, and those that love them. In that respect, I am a wealthy, wealthy man. This song is very important to me on a personal level." [4]

Second video single "Firelight" debuted via Billboard on 13 October 2015. In an interview with Christa Titus, Grey revealed that the song is dedicated to a friend who died in 2014. Titus described the track as "closer to a traditional pop structure" and more "easygoing" compared to previous work. Grey explains this change of pace as a "natural growth" of the band's sound to avoid repeating themselves and to write "music with a message of self-belief and optimism" as "part of a step forward". Grey elaborated that this was a deliberate contrast to progressive metal that he described as sometimes "very introspective and dark" in an effort to "celebrate life" and "the beauty of life's fragility." [5]

"Turntail", the third single from Bloom, was reported by Team Rock in March 2016. The accompanying music video was co-directed by Jim Grey and Sam Vallen. Filmed at GC Studios in Molendinar, the video features a brightly colored dancer trapped in darkness by an "eternal force" and "her own fear". She struggles against her captor while colour gradually returns eventually freeing herself. [6] Jim Grey described the song as "powerful, energetic, melodic and forthright", a song about "taking a stand, about fighting for freedom in whatever way you can". Commenting on the message of the song, Grey observed "Considering the atrocious political climate in Australia and worldwide, I don't think we could have released this single at a more appropriate time." [7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Heavy Blog is Heavy4.5/5 [8]
It Djents9/10 [9]
Metal Injection9/10 [10]
Metal ObsessionPositive [11]
Metal Temple8/10 [12]
New Noise MagazineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
The Power of Metal8/10 [14]
Rolling Stone Australia Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [15]

Upon its release, the album was met with generally favorable reviews by metal and rock music critics. Riley Rowe of Metal Injection gave the album a positive review, stating that "Bloom [is] an extraordinary exploitation of progressive metal at its finest" with "[musicality that uncovers] a plethora of impressive songwriting and virtuosity." [10] Eric May of New Noise Magazine described the album as "a work of art [that] needs to be further embraced by listeners as a whole", as well as "memorable progressive rock music". [13]

Track listing

Lyrics and music by Grey and Vallen. Additional music and lyric contributions by Greensill on tracks 2 and 4.

No.TitleLength
1."Bloom"3:14
2."Marigold"6:19
3."Firelight"4:38
4."Dragonfly"9:23
5."Rust"5:32
6."Turntail"5:02
7."Daughter of the Mountain"7:55
8."Undergrowth"2:50
Total length:44:53
Digital release bonus track
No.TitleLength
9."This City Has No Empathy" (acoustic version of the original song featured in Moments from Ephemeral City )6:12
Total length:51:07

Personnel

Caligula's Horse
Additional musicians
Additional personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opeth</span> Swedish progressive metal band

Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal band from Stockholm, formed in 1990. The band incorporates folk, blues, classical, and jazz elements into its usually lengthy compositions, as well as strong influences from death metal, especially in their early works. Songs may include acoustic guitar passages, Mellotrons, death growls, and strong dynamic shifts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DragonForce</span> British power metal band

DragonForce are a British power metal band from London. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. The band themselves refer to their music as "extreme power metal".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hangar 18 (song)</span> 1991 single by Megadeth

"Hangar 18" is a song by American thrash metal band Megadeth from their 1990 studio album Rust in Peace. The song was inspired by a mythical building purportedly located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, where an alien spacecraft or bodies were supposedly stored. The song reached number 25 on the Irish Singles Chart, also reached number 26 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baroness (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Baroness is an American heavy metal band from Savannah, Georgia that has been active since 2003. Its early members grew up together in Lexington, Virginia. The band has undergone numerous lineup changes, with frontman John Baizley serving as the sole constant throughout. Baizley creates the artwork for all of the group's albums and has done artwork for other bands.

Jens Peter Daniel Bogren is a Swedish record producer, mixer and recording engineer specializing in heavy metal music. He has worked on albums by Opeth, Dimmu Borgir, Sepultura, Arch Enemy, At the Gates, Katatonia, Babymetal, Soilwork, James LaBrie, Moonspell, God Forbid, Kreator, Devin Townsend, Ihsahn, Dark Tranquillity, Paradise Lost, Amon Amarth, DragonForce, The Ocean, Haken, Between the Buried and Me, Rotting Christ, Symphony X, Myrath, Angra, Dir En Grey, and Powerwolf, amongst others. Bogren lives in Örebro, Sweden and runs both Fascination Street Studios and Bogren Digital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King 810</span> American metal band

King 810 is an American nu metal band from Flint, Michigan, formed in 2007. The band currently consists of David Gunn and Eugene Gill. The band's first release was their independent EP titled Midwest Monsters in 2012, which earned them a signing with Roadrunner Records; they released their second EP titled Proem in 2014, and their debut studio album Memoirs of a Murderer that same year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ne Obliviscaris (band)</span> Australian progressive metal band

Ne Obliviscaris is a six-piece Australian progressive metal band from Melbourne. Formed initially as a four-piece in April 2003, the group was founded by Marc "Xenoyr" Campbell and Adam Cooper. The current line-up comprises vocalist Xenoyr, violinist and clean vocalist Tim Charles, guitarists Matt Klavins and Benjamin Baret, bassist Martino Garattoni and drummer Dan Presland. To date, the band has released a demo, two extended plays and four studio albums. Their most recent album, Exul, was released on 24 March 2023.

<i>Devil Seed</i> 2014 studio album by Wolf

Devil Seed is the seventh studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Wolf, which was released on 25 August 2014 via Century Media Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caligula's Horse</span> Australian progressive metal band

Caligula's Horse is an Australian progressive metal band from Brisbane, Queensland. The band was formed by Sam Vallen and Jim Grey in early 2011. The current lineup consists of lead vocalist Jim Grey, lead guitarist Sam Vallen, bassist Dale Prinsse and drummer Josh Griffin. Caligula's Horse achieved their first chart success with their 2015 album release Bloom, with it reaching number 16 on the Australian Albums ARIA Chart and number 75 on the overall album chart. The album also reached number 73 on the Australian iTunes chart on 21 October 2015.

<i>The Tide, the Thief & Rivers End</i> 2013 studio album by Caligulas Horse

The Tide, the Thief & River's End is the second studio album by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse. It was released through Welkin Records on 4 October 2013. The album was recorded by Sam Vallen, Dale Prinsse and Zac Greensill at Heaven's Gate Studios in Brisbane. The album was produced by guitarist Sam Vallen.

<i>Moments from Ephemeral City</i> 2011 studio album by Caligulas Horse

Moments from Ephemeral City is the debut studio album by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse. The album was released independently on 2 April 2011. The album was recorded from 2010 to 2011 in various makeshift studios around the Gold Coast and Brisbane and was produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by guitarist Sam Vallen.

<i>Colossus</i> (EP) 2011 EP by Caligulas Horse

Colossus is the first EP by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse. It was released independently in September 2011 to showcase their recently expanded lineup after the positive online response for their debut album Moments from Ephemeral City, which was originally intended to be a one-off project between vocalist Jim Grey and guitarist Sam Vallen.

"Take Me" is a single by American nu metal band Korn, from their studio album, The Serenity of Suffering. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in April 2017.

<i>Malina</i> (album) 2017 studio album by Leprous

Malina is the fifth studio album by Norwegian progressive metal band Leprous, released on 25 August 2017 through Inside Out Music.

"Serein" is a song by Swedish heavy metal band Katatonia. It is the second single off of their tenth studio album The Fall of Hearts. The song title alludes to the concept of raining without clouds being visible.

<i>E</i> (Enslaved album) 2017 studio album by Enslaved

E is the fourteenth studio album by Norwegian extreme metal band Enslaved. It was released on October 13, 2017 by Nuclear Blast.

<i>In Contact</i> 2017 studio album by Caligulas Horse

In Contact is the fourth studio album by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse. It was released through Inside Out Music on 15 September 2017. It is the first album to feature rhythm guitarist Adrian Goleby and drummer Josh Griffin, and the last to feature bassist Dave Couper.

<i>Rise Radiant</i> 2020 studio album by Caligulas Horse

Rise Radiant is the fifth studio album by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse, released through Inside Out Music on 10 May 2020. It is the first album to feature bassist Dale Prinsse, who joined the band in 2019.

<i>Charcoal Grace</i> 2024 studio album by Caligulas Horse

Charcoal Grace is the sixth studio album by Australian progressive metal band Caligula's Horse. It was released on 26 January 2024 through Inside Out Music and was produced by Sam Vallen, the band's guitarist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earthside</span> American progressive metal band

Earthside is an American progressive metal band from New Haven, Connecticut, consisting of guitarist Jamie van Dyck, bassist Ryan Griffin, keyboardist Frank Sacramone and drummer Ben Shanbrom. The band doesn't have a full-time vocalist; instead they have guests in their albums and perform live with prerecorded vocal tracks and image projections of the singers.

References

  1. ↑ Booth, Mitch (June 2015). "News : Caligula's Horse sign record deal with Inside Out Music". metalobsession.net. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Munro, Scott (July 2015). "Caligula's Horse return with Bloom". teamrock.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  3. ↑ Kielty, Martin (August 2015). "Caligula's Horse confirm Bloom tracklist". teamrock.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Staff (September 2015). "Caligula's Horse Premiere New Song, "Marigold"". revolvermag.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Titus, Christa (October 2015). "Caligula's Horse Premieres 'Firelight' Video: Exclusive". billboard.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  6. ↑ Staff (March 2016). "Caligula's Horse Launch Video for 'Turntail' [Watch Now]". vandalamagazine.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Kielty, Martin (March 2016). "View the video for Caligula's Horse track Turntail from 3rd album Bloom". teamrock.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  8. ↑ Kupermintz, Eden (October 2015). "Caligula's Horse – Bloom". heavyblogisheavy.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  9. ↑ Shaul, Alon (October 2015). "Caligula's Horse – "Bloom"". itdjents.com. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  10. 1 2 Rowe, Riley (12 November 2015). "Album Review: CALIGULA'S HORSE Bloom". metalinjection.net. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Skene, Douglas (October 2015). "Album Reviews : Caligula's Horse – Bloom". metalobsession.net. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Garcia, Marcos (March 2016). "Caligula's Horse - Bloom". metal-temple.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  13. 1 2 May, Eric (October 2015). "Album Review: Caligula's Horse – 'Bloom'". newnoisemagazine.com. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  14. ↑ Jensen, Kenn (October 2015). "Caligula's Horse – Bloom". powerofmetal.dk. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  15. ↑ Coyte, Matt (27 October 2015). "Caligula's Horse Bloom InsideOut Music". rollingstoneaus.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.