Suffer On
Wicca Phase Springs Eternal / Suffer On / 2019 / RFC185
With Halloween right around the corner, I felt it was appropriate to throw some Wicca Phase Springs Eternal on the turntable. Wicca Phase Springs Eternal is the emo-trap solo endeavor of Adam Mcllwee, ex-member of Tigers Jaw. Upon the completion of recording fourth studio album Charmer, Adam decided to step away from the band to pursue his new artistic passion of interweaving hip hop into his emo roots. With his social connection in this niche scene, Adam continued to strive and grow into a one of a kind musician. Flash forward to 2019 with his fourth solo release - Suffer On - a standout record from his discography that seamlessly blends trap beats with acoustic guitar and sad boy lyrics in a way that only Adam could truly pull off.
Like most of Wicca Phase releases, Suffer On is a dark album that has Adam drawing on inner depression and melancholy - it’s not a happy album by any means but it’s flawless in making you feel something. Between the snappy electronic hi-hats and 808’s sits his witch house lyricism that sprinkles in subtle occultist and gothic themes. Notable tracks on the album to check out include Rest, I Need Help, Just One Thing, Contact, and Crushed. Contact is a standout track for me. Centered around a gloomy acoustic guitar loop, a trap beat enters as Adam spews his paranoia and anxiety about reconnecting with a lover - “I don’t get enough sleep, paranoid being. I heard the rain but I thought I heard keys. I couldn’t see if there was cameras on me. I’m afraid to make contact”. Tracks Together and Crushed pull familiar sounding guitar chords certainly reminiscent of his writings on Charmer. Fan favorite single Rest just hits different from the rest of Wicca’s repertoire - it’s a prime example of his unique vocal expression of mental pain through this micro genre.
Suffer On was produced in collaboration between doves, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, and Will Yip. The album cover/poster paintings, design, and layout were done by Brianna Collins (keyboardist/vocalist of Tigers Jaw). The vinyl pressing I own is on clear with yellow, green, and black splatter that I found hiding at Princeton Record Exchange on Record Store Day back in 2019.
