Premiere: TRACE AMOUNT reimagines THE CURE's 'The Hanging Garden'

The New York visionary does right by a cult classic.

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TRACE AMOUNT stands as the solo project of drummer/vocalist Brandon Gallagher of Brooklyn's COARSE. Far from his band's grindcore, TRACE AMOUNT brings together a multitude of sounds from across the industrial spectrum for SKINNY PUPPY-esque compositions that come forth as a new kind of heavy. No blast beats, no riffs, just pure caustic aggression.

Today, Heaviest of Art is a host to TRACE AMOUNT's take on THE CURE's The Hanging Garden, one that is both invigorating and menacingly rhythmic. Retaining the gothic allure of the Pornography (1982) staple, TRACE AMOUNT does justice and fortifies the track's pulse with ominous electronics. Whether you're out on a night drive or bobbing your head in the living room, this iteration of The Hanging Garden makes for an enthralling listen that commands a presence.

Aside from his diverse musical prowess, Gallagher boasts an artistic talent that serves to meet the visual ends of TRACE AMOUNT's efforts, as is the case with today's arrival of The Hanging Garden. The single comes accompanied by a stark cover art and animated video that depicts full moons, cemeteries, roses and more in black and white static, apt to the industrial sonics that TRACE AMOUNT delivers.

Gallagher comments on the visuals:

"I always try to capture feelings that can represent what’s happening sonically. A lot of movies are scored after they’re shot, I actually find a lot of pleasure of ‘scoring’ video to the music. It gives me more freedom to experiment and not necessarily be stuck to a plot. Trace Amount’s aesthetic is very sci-fi and apocalyptic and The Cure is more somber and “goth”. I tried to find a balance."

When asked why he took the time and effort to put together a video in an industry that's become increasingly dependent on the ease of streaming, Gallagher comments:

"I sent this question to a lot of my friends who make video content - crying and laughing at how hard of a pill that is to swallow. Why? is right. I appreciate the hard hitting journalism. At the end of the day I love to create and I’ve been getting better at matching visual representations to my musical concepts. It doesn’t matter if it comes out through a singular image or a full length video. I was really stoked on how the cover came out performance wise as it was challenging for me, ultimately I wanted to do it proper with a full length video. If some people check it out I’ll be stoked."

Engage with TRACE AMOUNT's take on The Hanging Garden below and check out more of Gallagher's work HERE.

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Cover art by Brandon Gallagher