Gnarwhal “The War / Nothing More”

From the far reaches of the Canadian North in the Northwest Territories, Yellowknife’s award-winning (Best New Single at the 2022 Music NWT Awards) Gnarwhal unleashed their doomy stoner sludge rock sound to the masses with their latest EP “Altered States” this past May.

Today, the quartet presents its new music video for the track “The War/Nothing More”. The video depicts the real-life chaos of wildfires and evacuations that the band experienced first-hand last year in Yellowknife creating this unsettling strangeness in real time.

“It was a messy, scary, disturbing, wild, incomprehensible, maddening, dangerous, and disorienting experience for an entire territory. We wanted to represent a fever dream version of our new reality as an act of personal catharsis that speaks to our reality that wildfires act as nature’s regenerative agent and bring forth rebirth. Sometimes, only through brutality and pain does life start new,” says the band.

For the music video, Gnarwhal teamed with their friends from Yellowknife’s amazing Artless Collective studio.

“They were totally into undertaking this creative journey with us. The Creative Vision is a fever-dream assault on the senses, The War Nothing More tells the surreal experience of the band in the sudden throes of fighting for their northern home, burning to the ground by wildfire. Close to Yellowknife reality in 2023 but based in a strange alternate “Yellowknife”, this world is full of smoke, black charred forests, and strange illusions. Apocalyptic, surreal, and vibrating with strange energy. After spitting out of the belly of a narwhal, the men are in possession of the last 4 ‘seeds’ available to mankind (not revealed til the end) and they must travel towards their demise across the desiccated landscape, surviving a dangerous and surreal journey to ‘plant’ the last ‘seeds’ in a specific location. There they will pay the ultimate sacrifice to initiate the regrowth of their charred world in a hot and searing fever dream. Paying loose homage to the surreal style of Alejandro Jodorwosky films like Holy Mountain and El Topo, and utilizing new AI technology to raise the visual bar, mixing live action on a 360 8K camera that allows for maximum shooting ease, this is a visual journey that is to be felt/understood more on an emotional/subconscious level.” adds the band.

The band’s sophomore record, “Altered States” represents a significant evolution in Gnarwhal’s musical journey, offering a darker and heavier atmosphere compared to their debut release. From the haunting melodies of “Tides” to the introspective depth of “From Her Hands”, each track on the EP contributes to a cohesive and immersive listening experience.

The creation of the EP was not without its challenges, as the band navigated the uncertainties of the pandemic and unforeseen obstacles during the recording process. Despite these hurdles, Gnarwhal remained steadfast in its commitment to delivering a powerful and authentic musical statement. “Altered States” was produced and mixed by Dan Ponich, mastered by David Collins, and the album artwork was done by Jonah Cutler.

“We hope our progression as a band and as songwriters appeals to our fans and listeners. The Altered States EP is a bit darker and maybe heavier than our first one. Conceptually and thematically, the songs on the EP fit together better as a package and we hope this is conducive to a front-to-back experience for listeners.” says guitarist Benji Srtaker.
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Recommended for fans of Kyuss, Mastodon, Truckfighters, and Elder, “Altered States” was released on May 24, 2024, and is available at https://gnarwhalband.bandcamp.com ​

and Spotify – https://spoti.fi/3YHlaro

-Official bio