The last album I reviewed by these guys was in 2017. I liked it; there's an if Interpol played a post-metal vibe. This time around, the metal is dialed, and the post-punk elements are more dramatic, giving it a goth tinge. The melodies are catchier than I remember from them before, and the baritone croon makes me think a bit of Grave Plasures. This is a heavier album than what I heard from them before, but it is done in a very balanced fashion. It's heavy in a doomy My Dying Bride manner. In fact, if they are replacing Aaron, they should think about using this guy. There are some harsher vocals, but they're more accents than the primary narrative voice.
The doom is dialed up a bit on "Summon Her". It drops down to a bass line carrying the verses. The vocals are lighter and higher at times, giving a more Coil tone, with the baritone belting it out when the dynamic shifts. The album begins to shift in a more metallic direction with palm-muted chugs, though there is also a Killing Joke-like element in motion here. In some ways, they show you what a band like Dead Register could have evolved into with bigger production. I guess this might be considered doom-gaze in some circles. This can be heard amid the brooding atmosphere of 'Dark Water". The more Interpol-like vocal approach of their earlier work enters the chat here. But there is greater emotional nuance. It explodes in metal midway through this one. They find the sonically heavy sweet spot with the layers of guitar.
The drums get things moving in a more Katatonia-like direction on "Serpent". The bass is pretty prominent in the mix, which helps the overall sound. This one builds up into a stormier brand of aggression. There is a more Bauhaus-like guitar tone on "Lucifera," though the vocals sound more like Michael Gira from Swans at the beginning of the first verse before finding a lighter emotional current to flow with. I like how this album explores darkness and carries the balls when needed to take the dynamic extremes. The last song takes things back to the gothy My Dying Bride-like doom, but with more groove to it. The synth layers bring the dynamics up to more grandiose levels This salbum is pretty immaculate in the mood it creates with these morose melodies , which are up my alley, so I will give this album a 10 as it pretty close to flawless. Out on Prosthetic Records. .
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