It’s been very quiet on the Florence + The Machine front lately while the powerfully-lunged British songstress continues her music sabbatical, but things are about to get loud. Very loud indeed.
A tribute album consisting entirely of metal covers of Florence + The Machine songs is on the way. And no, it’s not called Florence + The Heavy Metal Machine (missed opportunity, that).
American indie label Sumerian Records is the instigator for the ‘so crazy it might just work’ collection, titled Florence + The Sphinx, set for release on 13th May as AltPress reports.
With the exception of a punkish, screamo rendition of breakout 2009 single ‘Dog Days Are Over” – tackled by Orange County hardcore quintet Stick To Your Guns – the 12-track collection is almost exclusively a song for song recreation of Florence’s 2011 album Ceremonials.
It’s the 3x Platinum-selling record was the key inspiration for the Sumerian Records project, with co-founder Ash Avildsen explaining, “to me, Ceremonials by Florence + The Machine is one of the most timeless records to come out in years.” “one of the heaviest records in years… in how the songs make you feel…”
Dismissing the idea of a simple bunch of bearded riff merchants tackling a kooky songbook that’s better known for being heavy in harp than ‘cookie monster’ vocals, Avildsen says the aim of the record is to bring out the latent ‘heaviness’ in Florence + The Machine’s tone.
“The distinctive vocals and melodies, the orchestration and instrumentation, the production, the mood and the lyrics have made me enamoured with the album. It is also one of the heaviest records in years to me… not in the sense of metal and aggressive vocals/guitars/drums, but in how the songs make you feel,” says Avildsen.
There’s already three tracks lifted from Florence + The Sphinx already available, which you can hear below. The muscular re-inventions aren’t just damn cool, but actually further demonstrate the strengths of Florence + The Machine’s songwriting.
Firstly there’s the aforementioned ‘Dog Days Are Over’ cover, then ‘Only If For A Night’ by djent metal-lords Periphery, who keep the trademark harp but imbue it with their searing guitar work and complex, brutal rhythms. Last but not least, an alternatively battering then delicate run of ‘What The Water Gave Me’ from Come The Dawn.
Australia’s own powerhouse prog group Dead Letter Circus also make an appearance, tackling ‘Remain Nameless’, on the collection.
As for the metal collection’s muse, Florence put her Machine to temporary rest back in 2012 as part of a self-imposed hiatus that started a few months after her last visit to Australia for a tour of our nation’s arenas. Apart from ‘Over The Love‘, her contribution to The Great Gatsby soundtrack last year, and some guest vocals for Calvin Harris hits, she’s been off the music radar since.
