Withered

"We're definitely a band for metal nerds", says guitarist Mike Thompson, who also handles the vocals.

Originally formed in 2003 by Thompson and ex-guitarist/vocalist Chris Freeman, WITHERED set out to re-write black, doom and death metal mores. After 18 years and five albums, WITHERED have achieved that goal by refusing to call any one subgenre home. The band has toured with Mastodon, High on Fire, Mayhem, 1349 and Danzig. You never know what kind of mystery WITHERED are going to uncork live. Sometimes, it's a DIY kick in the gut. Other times, it's a stage soaked in bloody red and searing white lights.

'Verloren' is WITHERED's most daring and iconoclastic offering yet. This album harkens back to the band's funeral doom roots, especially on eight-minute opener "By Tooth in Tongue". But it also features clean vocals for the first time ever.   The title, which translates to "Missing", isn't just a reference to friends, families and memories that disappear as time ticks by. It's also a reflection on the pandemic and how much the band has missed writing, recording and touring together.

"For most people, metal is purely aesthetic, a grandstanding 'f-you' to society and an adolescent rebellion kind of thing," says Thompson. "But at the same time, we do get positive feedback from the people who have looked a bit deeper and done some research. We just want to be honest".