Release radar: "Escaping Eden" Wisdom &Fools

Wisdom & Fools Latest Track

We had an opportunity to speak with the two piece Wisdom and Fools consisting of Philip Vargas (vocalist/guitar), and John Ramirez (bassist), about their recent release.

The sonic Journey of "Escaping Eden"

The track "Escaping Eden" , upon start up takes the listener to a sensory heaven. Reminiscent of Cannibal Corpse, Gojira and Job for a Cowboy, the chill inducing uniformed riffs , deep bass notes complemented by the double bass drums are satisfying and adrenaline inducing . The production quality is magnificently clear and crisp , adding emphasis to the technical instrumentation , highlighting the bands skill set. The Guitar leads the listener into the tale of what's to come in the world of Eden. The riffs command the listener, (similar to the playing of Mark Morton) while weaving us sonically into the drum section. The percussion dances around bass in unison, on par with the stylings of Alex Webster and Ryan Martinie.

"Escaping Eden" Music By Wisdom & Fools , Art By Adrienne Deveaux

The vocals are refreshing , with guttural aggression but still full of robust harmony and impressive breath control. Over all , the timbre of each instrument shine through , adding a textural depth to the track that is often ,in some metal arrangements, lost due to over production and overly busy playing in the genre . Lyrically , the song does not fail to match its instrumentation in intensity and grit. Phil provided additional insight to the lyrics of the track:

Phill: "Lyrically, this song is about trying to retain individuality and being ostracized for standing out, expressed in biblical and eldritch horror terms. Here’s some lines from the song that sums up what we're saying:

2nd verse: “We are branded in sacrilege ,

Damned as heretics in exile ,

The sick and ugly lepers

Our words so twisted and vile”

Chorus:

“In the garden ,Only one song drones ,

One sour hymn,

Frail as brittle bones

Witness our vile doctrine ,

An old God that so defames ,

We will teach thee of anguish

You will speak its name”

Art work for the track was created by Adrienne Deveaux

Phil: "Escaping Eden" is a song that musically has been cooking in my head for some time now. Initially it had a different name and a very different flow and style, and while I liked aspects of it, I decided to scrap it and try something else.

Lyrically it started off as a very rebellious song about not fitting in, and feeling alienated because of it, but while I believed in the message, the words themselves felt forced and contrived. John and I are huge fans of H.P. Lovecraft and eldritch horror, so I decided to lean and incorporate more of those elements in the lyrics and song quickly took shape from there.

What was the process like for creating this album/track?

Phil: I tend to write riffs that are a little too ambitious or complicated sometimes, so I wanted to write something simple that the kick drum could follow while still maintaining the groove of the song so while noodling around on the guitar one day, I ended up writing what would become the verse riff of the song. It's simple, heavy and catchy.

The climatic bridge section after the 2nd chorus was actually from the first iteration of the song, and it fit perfectly with what I was writing.

After I had the basic structure of the song, I showed it to John and we went back and forth on it a few times, and once we mapped everything out, I went back and put everything together as we planned it.

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Behind the Scenes With Wisdom & Fools

How did you get into creating music?

Phil: Like many people in my age group who are into metal or heavy music, it was Metallica. I discovered them many years ago when I was much younger, and they inspired me to write and perform my own music. I'm a huge die hard fan, and they still continue to inspire me to this day. I'm also curious as to how things are made or work, so I naturally got into music production and fell in love with the process of writing, recording and producing a full on song.

What made you decide to learn your instrument(s)?

Phil: Similar to what got me into music, it was Metallica. I think the thing that made me want to pick up the guitar was their "Cunning Stunts" live show that a friend of mine loaned me when I was in the 8th grade. Watching everyone in the band play their respective instruments looked so incredibly cool to me, and it inspired me to pick up the guitar and write my own riffs and music.

For vocals, once I got into heavier music I became super curious as to how these singers were screaming bloody murder song after song, or show after show, so I started doing my research and started practicing in my car. The first song I cut my teeth on for screaming was Lamb of God's "Reclamation". It's a tough song to perform but it taught me so much.

How did Wisdom & Fools start?

Phil: Back in 2018 I was looking for other musicians to play with and John was looking for someone to record his own music project, so initially agreed that I would record his project (Parasite, check them out) and in exchange he would play bass on what would be the first "Wisdom & Fools" EP.

After working together for a little while, we finally decided to join forces and we became a 2 man band for "Wisdom & Fools".

Coke or pepsi?

Phil: Well, I don't soda so... coffee?

If you could make a dream tour , Who would be your dream tour bands?

Phil: It's a safe answer, but I'd love to tour with Metallica. But besides that, I'd love to tour with Soilwork, Mastodon, Baroness, and since they're so fresh in my mind, Dawn Treader.

What do you want the listeners to know about your music and Wisdom & Fools?

Phil: We want our listeners to heed our warning... Our masters, The Great Old Ones, who live in the pit between the stars are coming, and they will usher in the great shattering of our time. The Collapse is upon us, and John and I are The Heralds of Finality. We make way for something grave and terrible. The Prophecy of Night will be fulfilled. It is inevitable.

Besides that, I hope people will listen to our music and give it a chance. It's raw, powerful, and most importantly honest. I hope people will hear that when they listen to us.

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You can follow Wisdom & Fools on their social media and stream their releases on most sites.