Nicarus – Coal People, Coal Puppets (Review)

This is the debut album from Nicarus, a solo Israeli artist.

I confess that it was the album art that drew me to this release, as I’m not normally a huge fan of the less-heavy genres such as anything with rock in the descriptor. I’m glad that I did check it out though, as Coal People, Coal Puppets is an enthralling and compelling release, full of emotive moods and enticing songcraft. It’s also heavier than I was expecting, so bonus!

The music is probably best described as a sort of dark, doomy rock/pop, with elements of alternative rock, indie, and blues. Let’s just call it doom pop, as that somehow seems the most appropriate appellation for Nicarus’ music, and kind of captures the music’s mix of depth and catchiness. The songs all have instant appeal, with expressive, exquisite vocals and riffs that work their magic quite thoroughly. However, there’s more than just style here, as there’s buckets of substance too; this is music that’s had some thought and emotion put into it, and all of the songs hold up extremely well to as many replays as you’d like to give them.

The end result is six songs that are dark of atmosphere and filled with emotion. Well-written and rich of character, each of these songs has a personality of its own that’s capable of standing strong in its own right, or existing more holistically with its brethren.

The artist behind Nicarus is clearly a very talented woman, and Coal People, Coal Puppets is a beautifully gloomy piece of work. Make sure you don’t overlook this record. The promo blurb mentions artists such as Emma Ruth Rundle, Chelsea Wolfe, and Julie Christmas, and this seems apt; fans of these will likely get on very well with what Nicarus has to offer.

Very highly recommended.