Spotlights - Discerning Alchemy (the making of Alchemy For The Dead)

Spotlights celebrate the April 28 release of their new album, Alchemy For The Dead with “Discerning Alchemy,” a short film directed by award-winning documentarian John Pope (“Blood Brother,” “Almost Holy”). The film explores life as an independent artist, through the process of recording the nine-song album and the band’s DIY philosophy.
Get the new album, Alchemy For The Dead, here: spotlights.lnk...
“In early 2022, John [Pope] approached us when we were opening for Cave In in Pittsburgh, with the idea of filming a ‘making of’ video,” explains Mario Quintero. “At the time, we weren’t really sure about having someone in our space while recording. Usually that process is very personal to us, and on top of that, our studio is tiny! But once we saw John’s work, and got a chance to sit down and hear his vision, we were 100% in. He’s an absolute master of his craft, and by himself, created a piece that we believe truly shows who we are as a band and as people, while also capturing our process. We’re so excited for people to see it! It’s a perfect companion to the album.”
Spotlights return to the road on April 26, kicking off their U.S. tour at Pittsburgh’s Club Café. The two-month trek also includes a stint on Ipecac’s Geek Show tour, joining labelmates Mr. Bungle and the Melvins from May 10 to May 24.
Make sure to check out the videos for “Sunset Burial” ( • Spotlights "Sunset Bur... ), a song Revolver described as “eerie, epic, and throttling,” as well as “Algorithmic” ( • Spotlights "Algorithmi... ). Consequence said of the debut single: “The thick tones and melodic vocals invoke Nine Inch Nails and the densely mixed recordings of Failure, melding elements of industrial, sludge metal, and dark alt-rock.”
Spotlights also released the Seance EP, a five-song digital release featuring “Algorithmic” and “Sunset Burial” with three non-album bonus tracks: “Unalive,” “Should Time Stand Still” and “Your Morning Kill.” Check out the EP here: spotlights.lnk...
Alchemy For The Dead tour:
April 26 Pittsburgh, PA Club Café
April 27 Grand Rapids, MI Pyramid Scheme
April 28 Chicago, IL Subterranean Downstairs
April 29 Tolono, IL Loose Cobra
April 30 St. Louis, MO Red Flag
May 1 Kansas City, MO Mini Bar
May 3 Denver, CO Hi Dive
May 4 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
May 6 Sacramento, CA Club Colonial
May 7 San Francisco, CA Winters Tavern
May 10 Pomona, CA Fox Theater *
May 11 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Palladium*
May 12 San Diego, CA Tower Bar
May 14 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues*
May 16 Denver, CO Mission Ballroom*
May 17 Salt Lake City, UT Union Event Center*
May 19 Seattle, WA Showbox*
May 20 Seattle, WA Showbox*
May 21 Portland, OR Crystal Ballroom*
May 23 Oakland, CA Fox Theater*
May 24 Oakland, CA Fox Theater*
May 27 Denton, TX Andy’s Bar
May 28 Austin, TX Hotel Vegas
May 30 Tulsa, OK Whittier Bar
May 31 Shreveport, LA Bear’s
June 1 Little Rock, AR Mutants Fest
June 2 Nashville, TN Drkmttr
June 3 Atlanta, GA The Earl
June 4 Gainesville, FL The Backyard
June 9 Miami, FL Gramp’s
June 10 Tampa, FL The Orpheum
June 11 Orlando, FL Will’s Pub
June 12 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
June 13 North Charleston, SC Tua Lingua
June 14 Charlotte, NC Snug Harbor
June 15 Asheville, NC Asheville Music Hall **
June 16 Knoxville, TN The Pilot Light
June 17 Louisville, KY Kaiju Bar
June 18 Columbus, OH Big Room Bar
June 21 Harrisonburg, VA The Golden Pony
June 22 Baltimore, MD Metro Gallery
June 23 Philadelphia, PA Ortlieb’s
June 24 Brooklyn, NY Saint Vitus
*-Ipecac Geek Show performances
**-with Yob and Pallbearer
Birdhands open on dates between April 27 to May 1. Rile open from May 3 to May 6. Dates between May 11 and 24 are the Ipecac Geek Show with labelmates Mr. Bungle and the Melvins.

[@BandGeekRecords]

Mario, Sarah, Chris please don’t ever stop being SPOTLIGHTS! Thanks for making this video available and allowing everyone to see how great you are as musicians and as people. Love you guys!

[@codexnecrogeddon]

This album is GREAT. One of my favorites this year.

[@msklvr]

I'm so happy this album is coming out! I've seen Spotlights twice and hope to see them again soon. Love love love this band!

[@boywithoutaparachute]

Im seeing them for the first time in June 🫠 cant wait to have my face melted

[@BenjaminIMeszaros]

The recording and mixing on this record are SO tight. Very rare to have an album sound this crisp and heavy but balanced. Just incredible work. Also Finn says hi. 🥰

[@ernestbuckley8671]

Agree, its one of the best sounding albums in this genre.

[@MarcS-r1c]

Amazing! Come to Europe, would love to see you perform.

[@adriannaqs]

They’re touring Europe in 24!

[@ernestbuckley8671]

Accidentally discovered Spotlights in 2020 during the Lockdown and saw them live 3 nights ago at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn. The band rocks. Love them and hope they continue to keep writing, recording, and performing. Love this little documentary of the making of the album.

[@tomaszwerbicki1893]

This band is one of my greatest discoveries of the last ten years. Very talented musicians, fantastic music that opens more pores of my skin 🤜🤛

[@godscoldhands77]

Fuck...I love this band so much.!! Alchemy is absolutely incredible, beautiful from start to finish.!! ♥

[@brandonthompson3635]

Very cool to get a glimpse of the recording/writing process. Cant wait for the new release and to catch a show in Little Rock this year!

[@AlexanDrMoskalenko]

You guys are amazing, the atmosphere of your music is something special, there's so much light in this heavy darkness. Greetings from Ukraine

[@flyinganchovy5267]

Love you guys. Come back to Boston!

[@JamesDeWeaver]

So stoked to have seen Mario on Dean Delray's YT channel, if I hadn't of seen that interview, i'd never of known about this tremendous music! 🤘

[@dillinguuur79]

Over a year later and still one of the best albums, I have to jam the whole thing every few days, it just calls out to me and nothing else will do, thanks 👍 see you when you come back to Nashville (hint, hint) 😊

[@gvictorazzo]

Hi from brazil. I love Spotlights and this new Album is beautiful...Perfect...

[@SeasonToRisk]

Love these guys and their TONES

[@ZVvereVvolf]

Another great release from this outfit. Love it and can't stop listening to it.

[@Lawnboy306]

Thank you spotlights , you’ve all created something so special with this album, you deserve all the praise! Alchemy for the Dead is an incredible album, very interesting tracking for the drums, makes sense! Was there 15 mic’s on the hi hat for Algorithmic?😂 seriously amazing sound.

[@nedim_guitar]

I'm rewatching this for the third time. It's inspiring!

[@afcortes888]

such a thoughtful and introspective film! The new Spotlights album is absolutely insane!

[@iwas]

Sounds amazing! I found Spotlights when this album came out and was happy to find a catalog of other albums to enjoy. Great work!

[@arsmor1end1]

Your music is a better expression of my constantly conflicted emotional state than I've ever been able to express in words in nearly five decades on this random fucking rock. Thank you for your art. Truly.

[@LockjawOfficial]

This was great! Just discovered Spotlights this past summer and the album became my soundtrack to a hot and kinda lonely time period. I started to find daily comfort in having that album spinning in my vehicle. And the tones from guitar to bass to drums to vocals are all so perfect and an amazing work of art.

[@danielhenderson3753]

So happy for you all! The drum tracking separately blew my mind. It's like playing half a prog part, and then the other half. As a drummer you have my total props! Love the album, I can feel all the love you put into it and it's such a perfect combination of darkness and beauty. Bravo!!

[@ChristopherEnriquez]

Thank u!

[@dillinguuur79]

Hell yea, ​@ChristopherEnriquez is a bad ass, check out Primitive Weapons if you haven't, you can thank me later 😊 the 2 albums I have of them are so good, I think Ben from Dillinger put them out, I know for sure the vinyl because mine say Party Smasher on them

[@kindgott]

You guys created something very special with Alchemy. It truly is. So many good songs, very coherent with each other... Ipecac should try and PR the shit out of this album.

[@owenw6236]

Perfect Band. Really need some Vancouver BC shows please!

[@analuizadarochamiranda]

Bastidores...postem mais conteúdos assim !

[@infinitethird]

What a great band

[@deadredsky]

Fuckin amazing album from start to finish! Love this band!

[@betulaobscura]

Nice!

[@ConceptCarMusic]

Very much looking forward to Glasgow!

[@alecg1755]

Does anybody know how they achieved this amazing atmospheric sound at 7:28? (the one from ballad in the mirror)… impressive musical work by the way. Can’t stop listening to this album. Is quite refreshing and unique

[@dpeady78]

Just discovered Spotlights about a week ago and I love the new album. Such an amazing sound. It also reminds me of one of my fav bands growing up in the late 90s - Shihad and in particular their album Killjoy (check it out if you haven’t heard it) So there’s a little kick of nostalgia as well I look forward to listening to more of their amazing music in the future

[@mattwreszczak]

Thanks for this. Don't give up!

[@gregatron11]

"Massive shaking room" - Perfect.

[@scottstarr7212]

Best album of the year

[@alfielucero2113]

Great video! Thanks for this!

[@elisaalcaraz7155]

Hermosa banda!!

[@frsm_]

Sarah with a Power Trip Longsleeve? ❤🖤 Again. Amazing Record. You guys can be so proud!

[@gmanhirt8818]

Slayer show no mercy did that same exact drum recording idea many many years ago.

[@danebridges]

Also QOTSA - Songs For The Deaf