This is the debut album from Hiroe, a post-rock/post-metal band from the US.
Wield is a 48-minute instrumental album that combines elements of doom, progressive rock, post-metal, and shoegaze into a compelling post-rock framework. Hiroe are skilled worldbuilders, and their debut album is a strong one.
The music you will find on Wield is expressive and nuanced. It’s well-crafted, with three guitarists all contributing to the album’s tapestry of sound, and a well-rounded, full production that allows the music to shine.
Wield benefits from a coherent sense of songwriting that allows Hiroe to tread similar waters to bands such as Pelican, Red Sparowes, This Will Destroy You, and Year of No Light, but without getting lost in their shadows.
Ranging from introspective post-rock and delicate shoegaze to crushing post-metal weight, Hiroe engage the listener through sonic quality and effective songwriting. It’s richly melodic, with post-rock flair, shoegaze beauty, and post-metal resplendence, and uses these to build and sustain immersive atmospheres. There is a reliance on emotional resonance, which works particularly well when given the time to fully develop and the songs install themselves in your mind.
Both intimate and majestic, Wield covers a lot of ground. Each track has its own character and feel, resulting in a well-rounded album worth exploring.
I enjoyed this, and I hope you will too. Recommended for post-rock fans everywhere. Check it out.
Wonderbox Metal 