HolySons started around 1992 after Emil Amos' previous hardcore band broke up and he started recording songs on his four-track alone. Several eras of recordings were put to tape in hermetic therapy sessions and in that time HolySons recorded at least 1000 songs. However, only a few dozen appeared in the form of a release, and only a couple of shows were played for reasons that have still not been fully explained.

Since moving to Portland, OR in 1999 Emil has cut down his output a bit and focused in on the details of each song's sonics. 'I Want to Live a Peaceful Life' signaled a new, possibly more friendly and accessible approach for him. He also started doing shows on a more regular basis with different backing bands, bringing him on stage with the likes of Will Oldham, J Mascis, Smog, Daniel Johnston, Sir Richard Bishop, Quasi, Six Organs of Admittance, Devendra Banhart, Califone, Eric Gaffney, Mark Kozelek and many others.

In 2000, he formed a second band called 'Grails', with whom he has, so far, recorded two records that were released on Neurot records (Neurosis'label) and one EP on Southern Records. When Grails toured in Europe late 2004, HolySons opened most of the shows.

After that tour, Emil spent a lot of time going through his archives trying to make sense of piles of tapes. Ignoring the inviting-ness of 'Peaceful Life', he compiled a new record of lo-fi songs to re-explore the more thorny/druggy atmospherics of early recordings. 'More Flophouse Blues' is a new version of a song that's 10 years old and 'My Lot in Life' compiles tape collage sounds that mixes many eras of HolySons audio from aimlessly wandering thru headshops, clogged whirlpool drains and broken four-track sonic trash. Otherwise the other songs are brand new and unleash a relentless expressiveness that is sorely lacking in today's smoothed-over, media-friendly music scene.





klick here for details and a track
Holy sons : "my only warm coals"
10 " lathe cut - released november2005

both old and new recordings by grails-drummer emil amos. lofi countryfolk for fans of early smog, beck, sentridoh or swearing at motorists. 12 tracks with a perfect average length of 2 mins each.

-> sold out! contact us for details on where you might still find a copy
-> klick on cover for details
-> mp3: underdog cringe (1'41)



decline of the west CD
Awfull bliss 03

i want to live a peaceful life CD
film guerrero 16

enter the uninhabitable CD
red 76 records

lost decade CD
pamlico sounds 01

split 7"with dolorean
slight record 01

another place 2CD
also feat. swearing at motorists, elephant micah, will johnson, tobin sprout, great lake swimmers,..
Awfull bliss 01

songs of bread
also feat. erland oye, the posies, rachel gosswell, call and resoponse, cake, paula frazer, emily sparks...
badman



official website
http://www.holysons.com

things you do while waiting for the apocalypse - weblog by emil amos
http://gnosticdevice.blogspot.com/

Grails website - band in which emil amos drums
http://www.grailsongs.com/