American bassist Brian Cook of Russian Circles and SUMAC has announced the release of his solo debut album titled We Left a Note with an Apology through Sargent House under the name of Torment & Glory. The project is expected to drop on August 27.

The bassist, who has previously been a member of avant-garde metal bands like Botch and These Arms Are Snakes, came up with the concept of  Torment & Glory after listening to Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska and noticing how the copy of the record collected dust (due to being played on repeat) that interfered with the sound quality of the vinyl by creating “a wall of fuzz distortion.” Additionally, a creative desire to produce a sound that resembled the classical style of singer-songwriter music convinced Cook to go through with the LP. 

According to Cook, the making of the album has taken over ten years. Therefore, the album explores the theme of growing up.

“All the songs are a reflection on youth and the reckless behavior that serves as a rite of passage,” said Cook.  “It’s a way of atoning for some of the more aimless acts of rebellion I dabbled in during my young adult years.”

The album’s lead single titled “No Big Crime” features Cook reminiscing about the idea of shoplifting as a teenager. The track starts out calm with a guitar’s arpeggio. However, the song’s bridge becomes chaotic with its industrial arrangement. In turn, “No Big Crime” ends with its simple introduction. The song’s music video contains views of nature and the outdoors filtered through the lens of an old camera. 

“No Big Crime” is out now. We Left a Note with an Apology is available to pre-order here. 

We Left a Note with an Apology Tracklist

The Burning Car
Boylston and Pike
No Big Crime
Dusk on Main
The Kick Drum
Mexican Hat, Utah
All Men Forever