AVKRVST are a Norwegian progressive rock/metal band and this is their second album.
Following on from 2023’s The Approbation, AVKRVST have now returned with the 45-minute Waving at the Sky. The band have taken the sound that their debut album embraced and individualised it further, making for a confident step forward, and an enjoyable record to boot.
Waving at the Sky mixes together elements of progressive rock and metal into a textured and detailed collection of tracks. With rich instrumentation, the music is complex, nuanced, and intricate, but doesn’t neglect the actual songs themselves. In effect, Waving at the Sky is one big prog workout, but one that is bent towards songcraft, and has the major asset of being coherent, listenable, and enjoyable.
AVKRVST create luscious soundscapes that drip with feeling. They are immersive tapestries to be explored at length, full of melancholic introspection, atmospheric depth, delicate melody, and expressive clean vocals. On occasion the band go heavier, letting the distortion come out to play, with even some growls. Across the album there is great beauty to be found, but also an underlying darkness. It can frequently be quite captivating. Overall, it is a well-rounded and engaging experience that Waving at the Sky offers.
I enjoyed this. It has a very satisfying sound, and the songwriting strikes the right balance between AVKRVST’s obvious influences and their own developing collective musical personality. Waving at the Sky is a sophisticated and well-crafted progressive metal record with much to offer fans of bands such as Karnivool, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, etc.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 