This is the second album from Greek sludge/post-metal band Allochiria.
Taking the post-metal holy triumvirate of Isis, Neurosis and Cult of Luna as their base influence, Throes works with this starting point and adds heavier, more aggressive sludge metal elements into the mix.
This combination means that the music on Throes still carries a lot of post-metal’s refinement and reflective qualities, but also has enough heaviness and aggression to satisfy in both regards.
Resplendent melodies and punishing riffs work alongside each other, frequently adding emotive doom elements to the songs. There’s enough variety within the band’s method of execution to please fans of the style and it’s clear that Allochiria know what they’re doing with the material.
The songs are well-written and structured with a good design aesthetic. The musicians play their parts with a professional ease and I find a lot of depth and nuance among these six tracks to enjoy.
The band’s singer attacks her performance with a fury and delivers vocals that sound scathing and full of fiery venom. Her voice carries over the tidal flow of the music, typically punctuating proceedings with her barbed screams, while the lighter moments carry subtler mood and feeling as a counterpoint to her feral nature.
I really enjoyed this. I like that Allochiria have taken the basic post-metal template and bent it to their own idea of what the style should sound like. In the process they’ve created 46 minutes of enjoyable and appealing heavy music.
Recommended.