HarborLights : "Isolation Ritual"

This album was a nice surprise. I checked out because they are on Deathwish. Deathwish is a label that has a really good track record for me, so this only reconfirmed this fact and further cemented their status.   I automatically like the vocals . They are very emotive, perhaps even dramatic. It's delicate tenor, in the direction of Thom Yorke. Musically these guys are post rock, and not afraid to step on the distortion pedal and bring some crunch. This is everything I love in music. It's moody and dynamic. They get sludgey when they go for the heavier dynamic with the vocals remaining melodic. They start off heavier on the second song. In fact more of a punk tempo. It does slow into a half time feel. They keep their instrumentals pretty interesting.

 The bass creates the tension for "Skin Walker" . They are excellent musicians but by the second instrumental I think it's a waste not to have that guy singing. From virtue rides the line between emo and show gaze with post rock tones. The vocals are more understated here.There is a heavier shoe gaze to " Year Without Summer" .  The songs are very compactly written they do not take you on any long sprawling drones. This is also a hit with me.  "Ego Ideal" finds the higher floating vocals returning. The drums do some really interesting syncopation.  Its a beautiful piece of music. Things get darker on "And Hell Followed" . Moving in a post -punk direction. This finds them in more of the direction of say Sannhet. They close out the album with a heavier tone.In the last minutes of the song, throaty yelled vocals come in. This brings out their sludge tendencies.

Less metallic than Russian Circles. They remind me more of  Explosions in the Sky, during their instrumental sections. In the last minutes of the song, throaty yelled vocals come in. This brings out their sludge tendencies.   I will give this one a 9.5 and see how it sits with me. I only rounded it down a little because I was unsure if the instrumentals would get as much airplay on my end. If you like your post rock on the side of progressive check this album out. If you like your progressive rock forward thinking and very atmospheric then check this album out. There are more reason to check this album out than not . It comes out  Friday the 13th