One of the most surprising releases that appeared in 2020 was a new full length from Shades Apart. It appeared with very little fanfare on a newish NJ based label called Hellminded Records. Prior to 2020, the band hadn't released any new music since 2001. I hadn't heard anything they had done since their last album on Revelation, which came out in 1997, and thought I wasn't really interested in this band anymore. But seeing their name appear again after all these years got me curious, so I made a point of listening to the new record on bandcamp. And then I got kinda addicted to it, to the point where bandcamp wouldn't actually let me listen to it anymore without paying. So I ended up buying a copy. I hadn't bothered with the pre-order, but there was a limited version being sold by a distro in Europe, so it seemed easiest to grab one of those. It comes on 'blue ocean waves' vinyl and in a sleeve which is numbered out of 50 copies.
So a few weeks later I spotted that Hellminded Records were doing a Black Friday sale, and I went to buy a different record, and couldn't resist also picking up another copy of this one. I think I partly got sucked in because the pink vinyl had already sold out, but the label 'unearthed' 10 copies and put them up for sale in their store. I got caught up in that moment of 'if I don't grab one now I might not get another chance'. But I always enjoy pink as a colour choice.
Once again I found myself listening to something that I was initially sceptical of and I really enjoyed it. If anyone reading this used to listen to Shades Apart at any point in the past I would recommend giving this one a chance. One of the biggest surprises of the year for sure.
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