Auto Sacramental is a Spanish post-punk band led by Jorge Mills. Their forthcoming sophomore album features collaborations with other Spanish darkwave artists, and their anthemic new single, Fuego y Cuarzo, features Galician avant-pop singer and producer ELBA.
Fuego y Cuarzo (Fire and Quartz) marries experimental pop with romantic post-punk, delving into the themes of life’s transformations and the dichotomy between creation and destruction, all wrapped in layers of symbolism and mystique. The music starts with minimalist synth arpeggios and Elba Souto’s classically trained vocals, escalating with martial rhythms, jagged guitars, and analog synths into a potent mix of melancholic post-punk and pagan neofolk.
The title embodies a deep metaphorical contrast: fire, with its passionate, transformative energy, symbolizes the vibrant, ever-changing aspects of life; quartz, known for its clarity and durability, represents the unchanging, eternal elements of existence, including the inevitability of death. This pairing highlights the perpetual balance between change and permanence, passion and tranquility, reflecting the elemental dance between life’s fervent impulses and the stark reality of mortality.
An experimental video for the song was created by visual artist Wences Lamas, blending actual footage of the musicians with a dark, AI-generated fantasy realm. This visual piece symbolizes the conflict between two cosmic forces: Eros and Thanatos.
Eros and Thanatos are two profound concepts from Greek mythology and psychoanalytic theory that symbolize fundamental human impulses. Eros, the god of love, represents the life drive, embodying creation, protection, and sexuality. In contrast, Thanatos, often personified as a spirit of death, symbolizes the death drive, associated with destruction, aggression, and an innate tendency toward entropy and chaos. Together, these forces illustrate the complex, often contradictory, nature of human desires and behaviors. This dynamic is portrayed through a stark, imaginative juxtaposition that mirrors the song’s deep themes.
Watch the video for “Fuego y Cuarzo” below:
Fuego y Cuarzo was recorded at Metropol Studios in Madrid with producer Adolfo Párraga, who is known for his work with VVV (Trippin’ You) and Luz Futuro.
Listen below via Spotify:
Auto Sacramental first emerged on the scene with their 2019 self-titled EP, a blend of synthpop laced with social satire and religious motifs. They continued this thematic exploration in their 2021 album Cuestión de Fe, delving deeper into the narratives that define their sound.
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