Sympathy Pain is an unusual animal, as their collective backgrounds come from hardcore, drone, and experimental pop in Salt Lake City, Utah. Sympathy Pain began as Skyler Hitchcox’s gloomy drone project which was later joined by Casey Hansen (of Cult Leader) to explore and expand the sullen space that the project initially carved out. Sympathy Pain is rounded out by Chaz Prymek (Lake Mary) and Nora Price. The deep connections to Salt Lake City’s underground well of experimental music have deep entanglements. Sympathy Pain has emerged from those entanglements with a clear eyed thesis, transmuting the often oppressive cultural climate of Utah through a personal veil of heavy sorrow. Swan Dive is the product of years of excavating that space into a cavern, yielding their self-described “emo)))” (a nod to the preeminent doom/drone band Sunn) while still holding onto the submerged soundscapes that began as the core of the project. The album is expansive — a winding ride that travels from minimalism, to claustrophobic ambient, to triumphant passages that all underscore its forlorn undercurrent. Originally released in January of 2024 as a CD by The Ghost is Clear and cassette by Diabolical Records, Swan Dive finally finds a new life on vinyl - reissued by the Cincinnati, OH record label Whited Sepulchre Records. Tracked with Wes Johnson at Archive Recordings in SLC, UT and mixed/mastered by longtime friend and co-conspirator Ben Young, the album features a haunting guest spot by Madeline Johnston of Midwife on “Heaven + Hell” to close out the album.
Release date:
November 15, 2024
Label:
Install our app to receive notifications when new upcoming releases are added.

Recommended equipment and accessories
-
Turntables - Top Picks
A selection of reliable record players you can buy today, for every budget
-
Technics SL-1500C Turntable
Features a direct-drive motor, a high-precision tonearm, and a premium MM cartridge, delivering exceptional sound quality
-
Phono Preamps - Top Picks
A selection of the best phono preamps for your turntable setup
-
Ortofon 2M Red Cartridge
Features an elliptical stylus that accurately tracks the grooves of vinyl records, delivering a rich, detailed sound with an output voltage of 5.5 mV
-
Vevor Ultrasonic Cleaner
Thoroughly clean and restore your vinyl records, removing dust, dirt, and grime from every groove without damaging the surface
Featured Upcoming Vinyl
-
Solak Atlas
Kuroneko
August 15, 2025 -
Grant-Lee Phillips In the Hour of Dust (Signed; Clear Golden Smoke)
Yep Roc Records
September 5, 2025 -
The Planet Smashers On The Dancefloor
Stomp Records
August 22, 2025 -
Whitney Small Talk
Whitney, Inc.
November 7, 2025 -
Patrick Watson Uh Oh
Secret City Records
September 26, 2025 -
Phil Manzanera & Andy Mackay AM PM Soho Live [2xLP]
Bfd
September 19, 2025 -
Between The Buried And Me The Blue Nowhere [4xLP]
Inside Out Music
September 12, 2025 -
Alter Bridge Alter Bridge [2xLP]
Napalm Records
January 9, 2026 -
David Bowie I Can't Give Everything Away 2002 (2016) [18xLP]
Rhino / Parlophone
September 12, 2025 -
Knosis Genknosis (Translucent Crystal)
Sharptone Records
August 1, 2025 -
Steve Gunn Music For Writers (Opaque Orange)
Three Lobed Recordings
August 15, 2025 -
Demonstealer The Propaganda Machine (Tourqouse)
Black Lion Records
August 15, 2025 -
Trapeze Lost Tapes Vol. 1 (Yellow) [2xLP]
Metalville
August 29, 2025 -
Whiskey Myers Whomp Whack Thunder [2xLP]
Wiggy Thump Records
September 26, 2025