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House of Sand

by Dawnwalker

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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 11 Dawnwalker releases available on Bandcamp and save 30%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Human Ruins (Remastered), House of Sand, Mildew (Tomonari Nozaki Remix), Ages, Crestfallen EP, the convalescent, Human Ruins, In Rooms, and 3 more. , and , .

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  • House of Sand 180g Heavyweight Vinyl LP
    Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    The new album printed on black 180g vinyl in a limited edition run with lyric sheet insert. Printed by Press On Vinyl in Middlesbrough, U.K. Limited edition of 100.

    Includes unlimited streaming of House of Sand via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

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1.
R.I.P. 04:15
Oh, lover I know it’s over But I want you to hold my hand Dear darlings It’s all or nothing But I want you to bathe with me again On your way out Tear the walls down Leave none behind This is the end Dear mother Gone forever But I’m ready to come home On your way out Burn your home down Leave none alive This is the end Save your last breath Don’t tweak your last nerve At your wit’s end The demon dwells on our sins You’ll be in a better place soon Speak all your fears into being Joke about your sinking feeling Talk aloud with all of your demons Choke on all the love that you’re feeling The demon will tempt you Don’t choke Keep your nerve now When your past catches up You will never pay this debt If a death makes sense of life May your past be forever retold
2.
In the dark will awake Many demons to play But in the cold light of day (Acedia) is one who walks unafraid Beneath a haze of midday sun A man and his work are never done As dreary as the day is long My mind is far away An indolence of the heart will open the door To all of the havoc that he hath wrought What maketh the man heavy, dull and wrawe No keeping the devil’s work from the door Time goes by Ever decreasing circles At the height of day I went astray I lost control Terrified Do they know? The good life is all for show Cast into the unknown We shall reap what we’ve sewn At the end of it all Each of us dies alone In the dark will awake Many demons to play But in the cold light of day (Acedia) is one who walks unafraid Hiding in plain sight Devil in daylight Standing behind Demon of noontide
3.
The Witness 01:16
The situation is becoming untenable I no longer see eye-to-eye with the others We can no longer communicate I have a desire to live in my own way Away from prying eyes And those fair-weather friends who would force their misery upon me If I have to burn a few bridges then so be it A bit of peace and quiet, that’s really all I need “Peace, peace ! he is not dead, he doth not sleep ! He hath awakened from the dream of life.”
4.
False Doors 05:27
Muddied in the tide Of a boy’s mis-spent lifetime The mind begins to wander In a haze of the memories returning Draw all the curtains and lock all the doors Rise from the table and float through the walls Draw all the curtains and lock all the doors The lights are on but nobody’s home A fantasy degraded and fading To the point of no returning Never said a word Seen not heard Paid no mention Draw all the curtains and lock all the doors Rise from the table and float through the walls Draw all the curtains and lock all the doors The lights are on but nobody’s home I know the lights are on but nobody’s home I will exit this castle and be free to roam Fall into a reverie Turn from what’s in front of me Shroud yourself in misery Doomed to wander endlessly
5.
Egypt 04:04
All your pain and sorrow Left to dry out in the sun Bitter pill to swallow When your life has come undone To atone for all I’ve done Be remembered when I’m gone Will the damage be undone Has it only just begun One road left to follow When you know your time has come To atone for all I’ve done Be remembered when I’m gone Will the damage be undone Has it only just begun Wrap my bones in linen Cover my face in mud Seal me up inside a chamber Carry me into the next life To atone for all I’ve done Be remembered when I’m gone Will the damage be undone Has it only just begun
6.
Oh you can take a whole lot of sand And build a castle on the beach And though you mold it and you plan Still you got nothing in your reach One little slip and it tumbles down One wrong step and it crumbles all around Like a house without love It’s sure to fall apart A house of sand is an empty work of art Or you can build a tower of clay But if you ask my advice Well, it’s worthless I say It’s got no heart, it’s cold as ice One little slip and it tumbles down One wrong step and it crumbles all around Like a house without love It’s sure to fall apart A house of sand is an empty work of art
7.
The Prisoner 01:38
Someone has locked me in this godforsaken house Or else... I mislaid the keys Anyway, I’m alone here now A prisoner in my own home But an Englishman’s house is his castle What do I care for them now? Silence Except for the ticking of that infernal clock And the cackling of crows mocking from the gardens
8.
Repeater 04:14
On and on The past repeating Deeper down Now I see the light receding Drifting further from the world Memory repeating Sinking deeper in the hole A tale with no beginning A deeper recess of the soul On and on and on... Swaddled in the echo chamber Taking comfort in the glow Memory repeating Sinking deeper in the hole A riddle with no meaning A deeper recess of the soul On and on and on... Safe in the womb A broken TV glow Laughter ever echoes Bathing in the static glow Memory repeating Sinking deeper in the hole A story with no ending A deeper recess of the soul Safe and warm in my cocoon Just leave me be
9.
What can I do to break the curse? Folding the temple into the dirt Eyes painted black All dressed in white Many feet upon the earth Going west A mortal wound Is it a curse or a blessing? A sacrifice No place of rest Raise your hands to the heavens Now, kneel before me Place one hand on the altar Now, bow before me Place one hand on the other A drop of blood hits the sand Anubis raises his right hand An offering A feast of souls All the pleasures of the flesh Paint it on the wall No story to tell To all those who come Here is where I Sacred waters Submerge their heads Cruel death Murder Rise from the dead
10.
Pray for the children And standing stones to guide their way Lead on through the garden And judge me not, Lord For all that I have done When I am gone In the course of time we’ll understand it all Separate timelines Only when it’s all behind us Severed lifelines Move into the light And leave the past behind us Father, lead on through the gardens out of time Standing stones to guide their way Don’t leave us all behind Oh no On and on and on it goes...
11.
The Master 01:17
Slowly dawns the new day Not in bright sun but eerie grey How funny that the master should end up like this A fallen man Broken, pathetic “You must be thicker than shit in the neck of a bottle!” Oops! Mind your P’s and Q’s If you feel small, that’s rather your own fault So keep your pecker up And change the record, dear boy We’ve heard this one too many times before
12.
Houses of sand Slowly crumbling Pillar of Salt Blows in the wind Falling out of time Fading out of view If out of sight is out of mind Then all your dreams came true Now is the time Take the stage Recite your lines Take your seat at the table Eat your greens And say your prayers No, no, no Houses of sand Slowly crumbling Pillar of Salt Blows in the wind
13.
Mildew 02:08

about

Dawnwalker return in 2022 with their fifth album 'House of Sand,' which marks a significant move away from the post and folk metal influences of their last LP 'Ages' for something darker and more difficult to pin down. As pictured on Mitchell Nolte’s cover painting, the album is set against a backdrop of idyllic suburbs and the darkness that may be lurking beneath. References abound to the darker side of the human psyche and a spiritual malaise (the “demon of noontide”) which once contracted gradually destroys all in its path.

“The suburbs dream of violence...”
- J.G. Ballard

Musically, there are touchstones from across the British indie and progressive rock canon -Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Mansun’s 1998 prog opera ‘Six’ to name a few – but these influences are blended with a modern heavy sensibility to create a unique sound all of its own. It might be thought of as something akin to the lovechild of Opeth and Kate Bush. At 43 minutes, it is Dawnwalker’s shortest LP by some distance, but each of these thirteen songs is packed to the brim with inventive ideas which belie their length.

Together with Joe Clayton of No Studio, they wanted to get away from the over produced sound of modern metal and computer-generated artifice. As such, no click tracks or synthesized instruments were used at all on the album. Instead, an ensemble of eight musicians wielding acoustic guitars, piano, violins and four vocalists performed whole takes live in the room, choosing to make a feature of their imperfections rather than airbrush them away. The end result is Dawnwalker’s darkest but most human and affecting album to date.

credits

released August 19, 2022

Dawnwalker
House of Sand

All songs written by Mark Norgate except:
‘House of Sand’ was written by Baum/Giant/Kaye and originally performed by Elvis Presley.
‘The Witness’ contains an excerpt from ‘Adonais’ by Percy Bysshe Shelley.

Personnel:
Chris J. Allan . Drums
Matteo Bianciotto . Guitars, Vocals
Dane Cross . Vocals
Mina Jackson . Piano
Robin Melinda Koob . Violin
Mark Norgate . Vocals, Guitars
Roisin O’Toole . Vocals
and featuring Alastair Mitchell as “The Master”

Recorded and mixed by Joe Clayton at No Studio in Manchester, September to December, 2021. Piano recorded by Matt Brown Recordings. Mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege. Additional mangling was performed at home.

Cover painting by Mitchell Nolte.
Hieroglyphics designed by Emma Falconer.
Layout by Stuart Gardham.

Special thanks: Nick, Suzie, Hayley, Malin and Fig.

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Dawnwalker London, UK

Dawnwalker is a collective of musicians based in London, England and led by songwriter Mark Norgate. Their music blends modern metal with experimental rock and progressive influences.

bookings:
dawnwalkeruk@gmail.com
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