Slow Mass & The Casket Lottery

SLOW MASS
Since forming in 2015, Chicago’s Slow Mass has been committed to pushing its artistic vision forward at all costs. Though Slow Mass was previously built around a core lineup, this has evolved into a fluid cast that has expanded to feature collaborators who are spread across the country. The current lineup consists of Evan Bernard, Dave Collis, Sean Hallock, Emma McCall, Josh Parks, Josh Sparks, and Mercedes Webb.

After springing to life and releasing 2016's Treasure Pains, the band quickly got to work on its debut full-length, 2018’s On Watch, which garnered praise from the likes of Pitchfork and was named one of the best Chicago albums of the 2010s by the Chicago Reader. Following On Watch, the band kept its nose to the grindstone, touring with the likes of La Dispute, Gouge Away, mewithoutYou, Horse Jumper of Love, and delivering a host of new releases that each expanded upon the sounds Slow Mass had become known for. With the trio of EPs in the ongoing Music For Ears series and 2020's Music For Rest, they transformed their Fugazi-inspired post-hardcore propulsions into muted ruminations that could have fit on a modern Low album.

By blurring the lines between several different genres, and allowing collaborators to float in and out of the band as desired, Slow Mass has built a body of work that feels distinctly its own. With multiple new releases prepped for 2025 and beyond, Slow Mass is ready to continue pushing the boundaries of what it means to be an indie rock band.

THE CASKET LOTTERY
With Feel The Teeth, The Casket Lottery crafts an album that balances moments of triumphant energy with haunting, atmospheric tension creating a sound that both uplifts and unsettles. The music feels like a journey through an emotionally complex landscape—at times, bold and anthemic, at others, quiet and eerie—capturing the push and pull of struggle and revelation.

Lyrically, Feel The Teeth explores the weight of a world that has shifted unexpectedly—personally, politically, and socially. It’s an album soaked in existential fatigue, grappling with trauma and the search for meaning in a world that often feels beyond our control.

The interplay between the music’s triumphant highs and haunting lows mirrors this internal conflict, creating a powerful tension between hope and disillusionment.

Teeth, both as a symbol and a motif, represent pain, survival, and the scars we carry—whether they’re buried or exposed. Feel The Teeth is a raw, defiant exploration of internal conflict and transformation, challenging listeners to confront what’s lurking beneath the surface while still holding onto something real in the midst of uncertainty.

www.sub.iastate.edu/mshop | www.slowmassmusic.com | www.thecasketlottery.bandcamp.com

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