This band is half Agalloch. Granted, it's the bass player and drummer, so not the major songwriters. However, it does not stop these guys from wandering into the same melancholic melodies Agalloch once ventured into, when embarking into the more folk-inspired sections of their songs. It's an odd choice for a band with a drummer, making me wonder how they arrived here with this sound. Did they lose their practice space and find themselves forced to rehearse in their apartment? It does create a unique sound we have not heard since the 90s. The grunge vibes are attributed to this fact, but that does not mean they are ripping off Days of the New here.
It's the plaintive second tenor vocals from their singer that keep them from being grunge, and set them apart as a more unique entity unto themselves. This is not a metal band, or really all that dark, even when it comes to folk, they are certainly not as dark as Chelsea Wolfe or Death in June. This also plays against the doom thing they are half-committed to here. It's marginally depressive. The album's strength lies in when they are invested in writing songs; when they break away and throw in instrumentals, they feel more like interludes, as the arrangements are not all that interesting, and there is no sense of melody in them until you get to the guitar solo in "Anymore." The vocals do not come in until four minutes into this six-minute track
The last song is disappointing as it's an instrumental piece that feels more like an outro, though it is also. Five and a half minutes long, which is time wasted, as they certainly could have pulled together a song within six minutes. Without question, these guys are talented and this album could have been something that set itself apart in a very effective manner. I will give this album an 8 as I like the songs they do commit to, and this is a different project that sets itself apart from where music is heading these days, and they have a great deal of potential.
pst235
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