Chilling, haunting, and nightmarish may not be the first words that come to mind when you think of psych rock, but they’re exactly the kind of feelings that Brooklyn locals Heaven’s Gate promise to conjure up on the their upcoming record, “Woman at Night.” Preview track, entitled “Amanda Berry,” derives its name from one of the three women who was held hostage and sexually assaulted by Ariel Castro for over a decade. The chaotic guitars, heavy breathing, and eery lyrics (using Berry’s own words from her 911 call) come together to forge an energetic four minutes of noisy guitar rock that is at once chilling and empowering. The lyrics of the chorus, “I’m alive, kick out the door, I’m Amanda Berry,” evoke a sense of survival in the face of adversity. Overall, the band manages to create a powerful piece of music that tactfully deals with a terrifying reality. Psych rock fans should also check out the band’s previous full length ‘Transmuting.’
“Woman at Night,” the band’s third record, is set to release sometime this summer. Heaven’s Gate is currently on tour and will be performing at a number of venues in the New York area, including a show at Palisades on July 3rd and Rough Trade on July 30th. – Patrick Wolff
