Illiterate Light - "Hellraiser"

Virginia-based rock duo Illiterate Light has released their latest single, “Hellraiser,” from their album, Sunburned. The song is not autobiographical, as the duo’s Jeff Gorman reveals that it came to him after conducting a series of psychological experiments on himself after reading a chapter of the Red Book by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. The song is a blend of Gorman’s subconscious grappling with uninitiated masculinity, pain vs. pleasure, and a childhood love of horror films. The band’s drummer, Jake Cochran, played keys and drums, and they embraced the studio in a new way, rejecting previous limitations they had put on themselves.

In a recent interview, Gorman revealed that Sunburned was a document of a band pushing themselves to new heights. Although their self-titled debut album in 2019 was met with critical acclaim and led to tours with The Head And The Heart, Shakey Graves, and Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Sunburned showcases the duo's commitment to the band and their bond, and the album's songs reflect a certain fearlessness that came to Gorman after his father passed away from multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Sunburned is an album for searchers, and Illiterate Light’s desire to share what they are really going through is reflected in their music. Gorman revealed that the band wanted to embrace the things they love and the weird things that will come to them in life. “My grief found its way into the record, sonically and emotionally, but not topically,” he said.

“Hellraiser” is a perfect example of Illiterate Light's sound, with its soaring anthemic choruses, slathered with hefty doses of fuzz, and rich keyboard and programmed percussion textures now populating their songs. Enjoy!