An Evening with Knives are a stoner/post-metal band from the Netherlands, and this is their third album.
With an intriguing album cover and band name, and a promo blurb that saying it is for fans of Cult of Luna, Amenra, Neurosis, and Isis, I had to give End of Time a listen.
The references above don’t tell the whole story. An Evening with Knives also make use of doom/stoner metal elements, have a grunge edge, and have a deep psychedelic streak. I’d mention here maybe bands like Dvne, Sunnata, and Yob. With eight tracks and a duration of 39 minutes, the songs are typically standard song length too, rather than the sprawling epics you might usually expect with anything with the doom/post-metal tags.
The songs are heavy, textured, and have a lot of character. They are well-crafted, with a good understanding of dynamics and structure. There are riffs and leads that work together to generate consistent power, and textured drums and bass that provide a strong bedrock for growth. All of the moving parts are designed with everything else in mind, making for songs that have a lot to offer the listener. The layered vocals are full of emotion. They’re rough, but potent, propelling the music forward with an intimate urgency. They add a raw edge to music that’s warm and personable.
A Evening with Knives are very capable when it comes to telling stories through sound. The songs, and album as a whole, have an easy personality that simultaneously wears its heart on its sleeve and has many deeper levels. End of Time works both as an album you can put on in the background and as one that you can listen to intently. This versatility is a testament to the band’s ability to write convincing, enjoyable, engaging music.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. An Evening with Knives have produced a charismatic record with lots to explore for fans of stoner-influenced post-metal. Make sure you check out End of Time.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 