Four years after their last album, Done With Satan, James Baker and Rorschach Test resurfaced in 2024, with new members, Kolby Peoples (guitar), and Christine Baker, aka The Narcoleptic Goddess (bass, lyrics). With a US tour kicking off mid-January, they have just dropped another new video for “Embracing the Shadow,” directed by Jim Louvau and Tony Aguilera. Check it out below and find out more.
“Embracing the Shadow” is based on my personal experiences encountering the shadow figure aka the Nightmare throughout my life. This is a worldwide phenomenon that people of all ages, backgrounds and worldviews have in common. The song details my personal journey in unmasking the shadow and the surprise ending that made it flee.” – Christine Baker.
In addition to being photographer and videographer for the likes of Kerry King, Rob Zombie, Linkin Park, and Tool, Louvau also stands at the center mic of his own band, Cleopatra Records artist, There Is No Us, who will be supporting Rorschach Test on the first leg of the Fallen Tour.
“Embracing the Shadow”
“Now I lay me down to rest
Out of the darkness, the shadow arises
Creeping nightmare shadows on my chest
I can’t escape the icy grip, awake but paralyzed
Stirring
Arising
Forming
I’m wide wake but paralyzed
God’s and Idols from forgotten pasts
Are now the regulars that come to my bedroom
Wickedness from high places cast
Upon the screens inside the dreamscapes burning in my mind
Hiding
Screaming
Running
I’m wide awake, but paralyzed
As the shadow is rising
I am beginning to see
There was never a nightmare
The shadow is me
All the monsters living under beds
And all the demons hiding deep in the closet
All the evil things that go unsaid
And all the secrets that are told to me by things unknown
I just can’t get it out of my head
I hear the voices that I have to follow
Terrified that it wants me dead
But then I realize the shadow is a part of me
As the shadow is rising
I am beckoning to see
There was never a nightmare
The shadow is me
The shadow is me
The shadow is me
The shadow is me”
The Fallen Tour kicks off January 17, 2025 with support from There Is No Us and a variety of surprise opening acts including Torso (AZ) and 8MM featuring famed producer Sean Beaven (NIN, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Guns n Roses).
James Baker is thrilled to introduce Rorschach Test’s new music and new line up, guitar wizard Kolby Peoples, electronic artist/drummer Fynix, plus The Narcoleptic Goddess, AKA Christine Baker, who will be making her first public appearance, performing with Rorschach Test on The Fallen Tour, sure to be a thrill for her 600K + followers.
The Fallen Tour 2025:
01/17 – Eugene, Oregon@ John Henry’s
01/18 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
01/19 – Portland, OR @ Dante’s
01/20 – Tacoma, WA @ McMenamins Elks Lodge: Spanish Ballroom- ALL AGES
01/22- Las Vegas, NV @ Sinwave
***01/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Whisky a Go Go (Industry Showcase/Private Party)***
01/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
+ More Dates TBA
***Rorschach Test at Whisky a Go Go is an industry showcase/private party with an open bar. Industry and NAMM attendees can request passes at www.fallentour.com
A limited amount of tickets for the show only will be available to the public. Tickets, V.I.P Meet & Greets + More here: www.fallentour.com
More from Rorschach Test:
Founder James Baker’s musical origins started in the church, with his natural musical ability standing out through the weekly ritual of hymns and gospel. Rock music was off limits in his youth, sparking his initial rebellion against tradition while he pursued his desire for rock and roll. He learned guitar and continued to sing, this time in a drastically different style than that of his church upbringing, leading to Rorschach Test’s well-known debut on Slipdisc/Mercury Records, 1998’s Unclean.
Compared to the radical rumors and tales of his rebellious past, James Baker has come full circle in embracing his identity as a person of faith, extending to his time spent the past several years as a hospice chaplain. Rather than looking back in history, he focuses on the present, and carries his own journey as a source of inspiration for himself and others through his work with the non-profit record label of his own creation, Unlabeled Artists, empowering underserved communities to support themselves through their art.
James Baker knew at first visit that Full Well Recording Studio was the ideal creative space, with an array of analog and traditional and vintage consoles, instruments, and equipment available for owner Mike Bolenbach (best known for Alice Cooper’s Welcome 2 My Nightmare) to produce the most authentic recordings of Rorschach Test, with the true integrity of a human touch. Kolby, whose musical background includes a stint as the guitarist of CO-OP with Dash Cooper, co-produced alongside Mike Bolenbach.
Rorschach Test re-emerged in May of 2024 with a new line-up and new single in tow, “Fallen” (the title track from the new album which dropped October 31st.) and celebrated National Goth Day with a video. Lyric inspirations are the result of growth and transformation, unapologetically addressing dark and difficult topics of realistic issues, negative archetypes, and struggles of humanity. Doing so through the lens of metal serves to address the darkest of sounds and subjects, understanding and embracing the shadows of life, inspiring freedom from them in the process.
In 2024, after a long, hard battle, the United States Copyright Office ruled in Rorschach Test’s founder James Baker’s favor, and granted him the copyright on the original version of the iconic industrial 90’s album Unclean. It was remastered and released on Friday, December 13th. Unclean is characterized by its bold, uncompromising themes, searing guitar riffs, heavy industrial beats, and intense, raw vocals. Songs like “Satan” and “Sex” exemplify the band’s ability to push boundaries, while other tracks delve into themes of rebellion, spiritual conflict, and the darker facets of the human experience. The intricate programming of Troy Kerr is accented by the ethereal gothic guitar layers provided by Benjamin Anderson (Walking Papers, Missionary Position, Geoff Tate Orchestra). Altogether, Unclean has been widely acclaimed as the perfect alchemy of industrial, metal and gothic genres. Founder/Frontman James Baker recalls “It was very interesting touring on this album. I would look out at the crowd and see steampunks next to Slayer fans, next to ghost white vampire children. Each was there for their own reason, but all were there for the songs.”
Unclean remains a key release in Rorschach Test’s discography, and in the history of Industrial music, showcasing the band’s creativity and their willingness to challenge convention. James Baker says “Although there are dozens of reviews touting the praise of Unclean, I prefer to listen to my fanbase on what the album means to them…The overwhelming response is that the album made them feel heard, understood and connected. We had many fans write us and tell us that they struggled with suicidal ideation, and that Unclean basically saved their lives.”
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