Decline of the West represents a vital intersection of style and method in Emil Amos' (Om, Grails) songwriting and production, combining his genre-hopping tendencies and no-rules mixing methods with the more hook-driven, straight-to-the-jugular phrasing that he has been honing for the last 15 years. Holy Sons' minimalist avant-folk sound journeys through formats as varied as dub, church-hymn, slow-jam, tape-collage, and hip-hop beats ornamented with obtuse banjo-sitar runs, all performed with an inspired punk spirit. The music is organic, dark, and beautiful, documenting a constantly evolving songwriter who possesses a unique gift for distinctive and prolific artistry. His musical resume reads like a dream wish list for most musicians.
Outside of Holy Sons, Amos is the new member in the globally renowned Om (Sub Pop/Southern Lord), and a producer/songwriter of his other band Grails (Important Records/ Temporary Residence/Neurot Recordings). He has performed both on stage and collaboratively with the likes of Daniel Johnston, Will Oldham, Damo Suzuki, Jandek, J Mascis, Smog, Polvo, Quasi, Sir Richard Bishop, Scout Niblett, Six Organs, Devendra Banhart, and Mark Kozelek. Decline of the West is named after and conceptually began with Oswald Spengler's pessimistic assessment that the Western culture is revealing the classic signs of a societies' decay and end. The record was recorded at Amos' home studio in late-night recording sessions that stretched over three years, during which he played every instrument and then mixed and re-mixed each track.
Decline of the West is his most stylistically varied effort to date, and a linchpin of Amos' catalogue.
