Amenra : "De Toorn / With Fang and Claw "

 

These are two EPs, that I am reviewing as one album since there are only four tracks with them altogether. The 13-minute "Heden' finds the bass lingering in a drone. for four of the thirteen minutes before they begin pointing in a song's direction. The vocals are spoken word and the guitar creeps in with minimal chords slowly growing. At seven and a half minutes, the sung vocals begin, though the song has not kicked in.  At ten minutes the song really begins with screamed vocals and their throbbing brand of sludge. The second song 'De Toorn" unfolds in a similar lingering fashion as the first song, though is more brooding in its introspection, as the drums over more of a pulse under the unfurling process. The post-rock guitar passages are also most clearly defined. I did not care for the spoken word sections of their last album and my thoughts on them continue to not change with this album. 

After they have a droning jam, things explode eight minutes into the song. which is a similar formula they used on the previous song. These guys are talented and I have seen them rule live, so it's difficult to hear them go off on what seems to be creative tangents and not playing to their strengths. Write it off as following their artist's vision, but I think what is clearly defined as being effective for them has been well documented. "Forlorn' is only 8 minutes so it should be more to the point since they do not have eight minutes to spare before getting to the point. They get to it in a minute, which is something they should have considered for the first two songs. When they lock in like they do here it provides a better contrast for his softer sung vocals. 

For the last song, they stick to what works and hit you with another crusher. They ebb back down to a more melodic breakdown, where he employs his soft singing that sometimes makes me think of Sigur Rios. Overall I think the two last songs are what works best for them and the more post-rock sprawl of the first two lacked focus. I will however give this album an 8.5, as I think they redeemed themselves here, but this is not their best work as a band, though better than most sludge we are likely to hear, yet on the level of a band like RWAKE, whose sludge crown is not threatened by this release.Drops March 28th on Relapse.   

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