If idle hands are the devil’s workshop, this Holy Son is very holy, indeed.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens musician Emil Amos is currently working on at least six different albums, including new releases from his psychedelic-leaning instrumental band Grails and iconic doom metal outfit Om. And when he is not in the studio, he is rehearsing with a new touring band for his longtime solo project Holy Sons.
It might all sound very rock and roll, but keeping it all together is less about musical chops and more about serious scheduling, Amos said.
“It’s all about figuring out the workload,” he said. “I need to know what’s the next deadline for which record. They have totally different moods and personalities and I can’t blur those lines.”
The mood of his work in Holy Sons — particularly the recently-released album “The Fact Facer” — is best described as dour. The record has a noose prominently feature on its cover and contains track titles such as “Back Down to the Tombs” and “Doomed Myself.” And the songs themselves amplify this theme, with tempos rarely getting above that of a resting heartbeat, plus plenty of moody keyboard-playing and vocals.
But Amos views the album as a hopeful one.
“I think even though it sounds really dark and depressed, it’s secretly pointing an arrow toward appreciating life,” said Amos, who plays Union Pool on Sept. 25. “It’s a blueprint to get out of those modes of thinking.”
Ever the work-horse, Amos played every note of “The Fact Facer” himself — as he did with every other Holy Sons release.
He doesn’t need to go it alone — especially considering how many musicians he collaborates and consorts with — but Amos said he has very good reasons for doing so.
“When one person has the opportunity to touch every single instrument in a song,” he said, “they’re telling you that much more information about what they’re going through. It’s a totally authentic expression of how they are feeling in that moment.”
Holy Sons plays Union Pool (484 Union Ave. between Skillman Avenue and Conselyea Street in Williamsburg, (718) 599-1450, www.union-pool.com] Sept. 25 at 9 pm. $10.
