Pantera/Down frontman Philip Anselmo’s “depression core” project En Minor has released a music video for their latest single, “Mausoleums.” A solemn slow track, Anselmo’s deep, dark vocals are haunting over the acoustic death march-like melody. The sepia-toned video is just as haunting, interspersing clips of the band performing live with clips of people laying flowers in front of a mausoleum.
Said Anselmo of the video in a statement (as reported by Blabbermouth), “We were not able to shoot the video we initially had in mind because of the pandemic, but the video rendered is beautifully somber. I’d like to thank the crew responsible for putting it all together, and I hope you enjoy it. Love to everyone.”
“Mausoleums” is the second single from En Minor’s upcoming debut full-length, ‘When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out,’ set to hit shelves on September 4 through Housecore Records. Back in June, the band released a video for the song “Blue.” The album follows the band’s debut, self-titled EP, which was released in August 2019.
Capturing a softer sound than what fans of Anselmo’s bands might be used to, En Minor gives the singer a chance to experiment with sounds he’s been working on since he was young. “The initial strains — in the most primitive sense — came about when I was given my first guitar at nine-years old,” said Anselmo about the music origins. “I didn’t have the patience to learn other people’s music, so I wrote my own. And some of those early parts are still prevalent in the songs we’re working with now. Fast forward to 1988 when I bought my first four-track recorder; those old songs took on a new life and newer songs were written. Heavy metal was at the forefront of my performance-based output, but these little four-track songs were always there. I always had an apprehension about allowing them to be heard though, because they were so different; only a small circle of close friends got to hear them.”
Anselmo also cites his days in the mid-1990s living in New Orleans and playing around with various local artists in what he calls “Body & Blood” sessions. “We wrote more songs, all recorded on a newer model four-track. It was fun. We did it for the vibe. And it was pleasing to break away from multi-tracking studios and heavy metal. Metal music consumed most of our time and lives. Those ‘B&B’ sessions were damned-near therapeutic.”
However, Anselmo says that En Minor really formed in 2012, when he met guitarist Stephen Taylor. Said Anselmo, “He and I began experimenting with some vibey stuff, and soon after began recording the sessions. This led to the current incarnation of En Minor. Together, we re-worked a few of the old four-track songs and wrote several new ones in short order. These sessions are hypnotic and pulling. And we continue to write songs suitable for this project to this day. Ugly and beautiful, En Minor, isn’t ‘party music.’ This is ‘kill the party music.’”
En Minor is currently Anselmo, Taylor, guitarist Kevin Bond, cellist Steve Bernal, drummer Jimmy Bower, keyboardist Calvin Dover, bassist Joiner Dover and percussionist Jose Gonzalez.
‘When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out’ is available for pre-order now.
