This is the seventh album from Impure Wilhelmina, a Swiss post-metal band.
The music takes progressive post-metal/rock, post-hardcore, and indie/alt-rock, throws in a healthy amount of goth influences, and even has a blackened veneer in places. Antidote is a specialised rarity, an individual work with a personality securely all of its own. Despite this, for a very, very, very rough comparison, think of a mixture of bands such as The Ocean, Cave In, Radiohead, Alcest, Paradise Lost, Katatonia, Ephel Duath, The Cure, Autumnblaze…
Ultimately, Antidote belongs to Impure Wilhelmina alone.
Antidote is an album of nuance, emotion, and depth. The power and impact contained within the 53 minutes of material that we find here is lesser-seen in music, and is something to be cherished and savoured. The band’s music is layered with feeling and atmosphere, yet exists alongside a visceral sense of immediacy that nonetheless doesn’t sacrifice longevity for instant appeal.
The extremely well-written songs are captivating and enthralling, and every track contains an album’s worth of quality and creativity. The music is so rich in subtleties and awash with so much emotive presence that the album can almost seem imposing to listen to. Almost.
Antidote is undoubtedly a highlight in what has already been a very strong year for metal. Do not miss out on this.
Essential listening.
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