Spotlights ‘Hanging By Faith’ Review: Brooklyn alternative-metal trio return with remixes off last year’s Seismic LP, as well as a cover track.

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Spotlights’ album Seismic was one of the best albums of 2017, a bruising yet beautiful sound from the NYC husband and wife duo of Mario and Sarah Quintero, which offered a bewitching mix of stoner rock, shoegaze, alt-rock and experimental textures.

And now the band return with Hanging By Faith, an EP featuring remixes of 4 Seismic tracks that are so radical in shape and scope, they even feature new song titles.

Click here for my recent podcast interview with Mario Quintero discussing the new EP

(Mario) Quintero explained the concept behind in the EP in a recent press release, saying “We liked the idea of changing the song titles because, while these remixes really harness the core intention of the original songs, they all took on a completely new life, and totally stand on their own, as new compositions. The new titles were chosen by the people doing the remixes too, which we feel gives the songs even more of a personal touch.”

The Hanging [Kris Dierksen Remix] features a more stripped down and cinematic reinterpretation of Hang Us All, that puts extra emphasis on Sarah Quintero’s haunting vocals, while offering electronic textures recalling classic Depeche Mode, while Til Darkness Come (remixed by Mario Quintero) strips Ghosts Of A Glowing Forest from all its most recognizable sonic landmarks, muting the vocals and guitar in lieu of industrial and cinematic elements that are transportive and eerie.

A Sudden Violent Movement, remixed by Isis’ Aaron Harris (who also produced Seismic) gives an ambient, sultry makeover to the title track from their 2016 release, while Ice Giant reconstitutes Size of A Planet into icy shards of sound that disorient and delight.

The group close out the EP with a cover of The Cure’s Faith, which manages to stay true to the original track’s dour spirit while adding their own fresh coat of black paint to the proceedings, keeping vocals to a hushed whisper over oceanic cascades of atmospheric guitar and ghostly keyboard.

Hanging By Faith is an exciting testament to the continuing musical growth of Spotlights, offering discerning metal heads a much-needed twist on heavy music that makes them such a refreshing and game-changing act. One can’t wait to see (and hear) where they go next.

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