“Sad & Illegal” by Grails

Hard to believe, but it’s been six(!) years since Grails’ last album, 2017’s excellent Chalice Hymnal. But the post-rock outfit finally ventured back into the studio as a collective unit — their last few albums have been recorded with members all over the place — to work on what would become Anches En Maat.

The album’s first single, “Sad & Illegal,” is precisely what you expect from Grails: expressive, dramatic, moving, and for lack of a better term, cinematic. Filled with ominous electronics, soaring guitar riffs, and sweeping, emotional string arrangements, “Sad & Illegal” plays like the theme for a long-lost suspense/horror/western/romance film from the ’70s. And it’s a clear indication that the last few years have done nothing to dull the group’s sensibilities. (In other words, I’m very excited to hear the entire thing.)

Anches En Maat will be released by Temporary Residence Ltd. on September 22, 2023. In other Grails-related news, the band will be embarking on a short European tour in October, with dates in Austria, Germany, and Poland (to name a few).