Exclusive album premiere of ‘Howl A Little Louder’ by Sold Ash, out August 26th, 2022.

’Howl A Little Louder Just Don’t Spit In My Mouth’ is a story that explores the complexities of mental instability and feeling out of place and overwhelmed in a world driven by capitalism and productivity. It also dives into my process of self-healing, dealing with people that were close to me who became a manifestation of personality disorders such as narcissism, as well as grieving a past lover and reflecting back on my own toxicity towards others.

<a href="https://soldash.bandcamp.com/album/howl-a-little-louder-just-dont-spit-in-my-mouth">Howl A Little Louder Just Don’t Spit In My Mouth by Sold Ash</a>

As 2019 came to a close and a strict lockdown hit South African shores, Sold Ash’s melodic noise rock was born. This experimental and dynamic project is the brainchild of Cape Town-based producer/musician/engineer Ruan Vos.

The 28th of April 2020 marked the release of Sold Ash’s self-titled debut EP. A volatile but cathartic set of tracks punctuating the silence left by the worldwide pandemic. It quickly drew a cult-like cohort of fans, eager to catch the sonic sorcery live as soon as the lockdown ended in October 2021.

Bewitching and wild, Sold Ash’s live shows combine the abrasive and explosive energy of noise/punk with the sustained, cathartic waves of droning sonic manipulation. Crafted as an immersive and celebratory act, Sold Ash draws in a crowd of instantly devoted viewers. All sinking as one, into sustained, cathartic tones.

Initially starting out as a droning, noise rock trio, Sold Ash has evolved into a transient 5-6 piece lineup. Taking on heavier, more melodic hooks without sacrificing any of their lush, lingering foundations. Their influences stretch from Sonic Youth, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Kills, Radiohead and The White Stripes to A Place to Bury Strangers, Sigur Rós, Portishead and many more.

Ruan shares some further words about the album; “I can’t begin to describe how it feels to share this project with you. It has taken me just over two years to write and shape these songs, which is much longer than what I initially intended. This album is an absolute dream come true for me – I am 26 now, and I’ve been trying/praying/wishing/dreaming for this project to become a reality since I was 13.

For me, making an album is a very overwhelming process – it’s a volatile and frustrating endeavour. You need an immense amount of patience, determination, drive and passion to finish off a project of this sort and then you still need to (or would like to at least) remain content with the whole thing, whether it’s the process, or the results. The inconsistent emotional spirals that such a project triggers due to the deep-rooted and (sometimes mysterious) personal topic matters are also something to get a hold of within itself.

Whether the album is written from personal experience is irrelevant, as the lyrics rather aim to be a response to the topics from an empathetic perspective, with a message that encourages awareness of mental illness and self-healing.

Nonetheless, creating music has and will always be my favourite thing to do in this life of mine, and I’m very excited to share ‘HALLJDSIMM'”.