Post-Rock – Page 22 – Wonderbox Metal

Convulsif – IV (Review)

Convulsive are an experimental band from Switzerland. This is their fourth album.

After the blackened mindfuck, (in a good way), that was CD3, Convulsif return with something a bit different that’s actually superior. It’s mostly instrumental, dark and surprisingly addictive.

Featuring bass, clarinet, violin and drums, this is an experimental foray into noise and unusual Rock. These instruments come together in a variety of ways to produce music that is always trying to push the envelope and always manages to be emotive, in one fashion or another.

Largely gone is the experimental Black Metal of their previous release, although stylistically and atmospherically we’re not a million miles away from it with some of he crawling Doom/Drone here; IV can still be dark and foreboding when it wants to, as well as displaying any number of other moods.

Instead, this release has an even more diverse approach than its predecessor. Doom, Post-Rock, Black Metal and Grind are all merely ingredients to be liberally sprinkled around during these 37 minutes, and Convulsif leave few stones left unturned in their quest for sonic excess.

Disturbing noises and unsettling vibes are frequently the order of business for IV, mixed in with Grindcore-level extremity and exploratory bludgeoning. Add in some Jazz and some sexy bass workouts and you end up with a compelling collection of twisted soundscapes that really succeed where such an eclectic, esoteric assortment of tracks could so easily fail.

If you’re in mind for something a bit different that has a lot to offer, check out IV; you won’t regret it.

Entropia – Ufonaut (Review)

This is the second album from Polish Post-Black Metal band Entropia.

As a firm fan of their stellar début album Vesper, Ufonaut is long-awaited and well-received.

In Entropia, Progressive Metal and Post-Metal meet a fiery Black Metal heart; combined together they take the airwaves by storm and Ufonaut’s blackened blend of atmosphere, shoegaze, Post-Rock and psychedelia is a hit.

Heavier and darker than its predecessor, Ufonaut is a more mature beast to an already forward-thinking début. On the whole the songs are also shorter and more focused, resulting in an album that knows precisely what it wants to do and goes about doing it with shadowy panache.

High-energy blackened delivery meets more depressive, introspective moments. As the songs progress there’s more and more to get lost in as the band build momentum and atmosphere. Tsunamis of pounding drums and otherworldly synths add to the textures of the songs in places, creating the atmosphere in firm, energetic layers.

With involving and engaging tracks, this is an album that makes the most of its time in the abyss and furnishes the listener with all manner of listening pleasures, so much so that Ufonaut is a real embarrassment of riches in some ways.

After waiting three years for their second album I have not been disappointed. All hail Entropia!

Hemelbestormer – Aether (Review)

Hemelbestormer are a Post-Metal band from Belgium. This is their debut album.

Hemelbestormer are an instrumental band and they have created a sweeping epic of an album with four long, sprawling tracks lasting a total of 60 minutes.

Here we have an interesting and involved merging of different styles that are similar enough to get along well, resulting in the quite monolithic Aether.

Post-Metal, Doom and Sludge Metal are the main ingredients. The swirling Doom/Sludge claustrophobia of some of Neurosis’ more abrasive work is met by the expansive Post-Metal that the likes of Isis did so well. This is alongside elements of the heavier work of Pelican, with even some Post-Rock sensibilities of a band like Russian Circles getting a look in too.

The tracks take the listener on a journey through exploratory soundscapes and the Post-Metal build/release mechanic is artfully used throughout.

Aether is as heavily atmospheric as you can probably imagine, but in contrast to some bands that play this style, (especially, it seems, instrumental ones), Hemelbestormer are not afraid to let the distortion properly kick in and get really huge and heavy with the guitars. This pleases me greatly.

I love music that you can truly get lost and absorbed in and this is definitely one such album. Some instrumental bands can easily lose focus due to the lack of a singer, I find, but Hemelbestormer really don’t suffer from that problem. The music is detailed and nuanced enough to keep you coming back to it, but as mentioned previously, they know when to take things up a notch with the heavy guitars at just the right moments.

Very impressive. Take the time to listen to this.

True Cross – Pure Divorce (Review)

True Cross are from the US and this is their début album. They play Shoegaze/Post-Rock.

This is an interesting album. The band incorporate elements of Doom here and there and even a hint of Punk in some of the more upbeat parts. For the main though, this is firmly in Shoegaze territory, with Post-Rock filling in the gaps.

Apparently the theme of this release is all about endings, and I can believe that as there’s a definite air of finality about these songs. They’re darkly emotive and heavy on the feeling, creating a despondent attitude without going overboard.

The vocals consist of ethereal cleans that seem to just about have the energy to pull themselves out of the musical melange, adding further layers of emotion to songs that are already thick with mood.

True Cross have created an album full of raw emotion, unfettered by constraint and loaded with negativity. Artful and intense, Pure Divorce is cinematic in scope and shares some of its qualities with that of a soundtrack.

A lot of Shoegaze passes me by as not having enough substance to it, but True Cross have really got their formula sorted out on this album. I’ll definitely be listening to this late at night, in the dark, as I’m sure is intended.

Here’s one to live with and absorb for a while.

The Impala – Chapter One (Review)

The Impala are a Russian Post-Rock band. This is their début EP.

The band play Post-Rock that’s reflective and expressive, seemingly mirroring the lives of the band members and wearing their collective experiences openly.

The music has that ephemeral, fragile quality that a lot of Post-Rock has. Seemingly transitory and full of sunshine or some unknown cosmic essence, these tracks sparkle and fade during their brief playing time.

Apart from a brief section of spoken word there are no vocals. Instead, the music is the complete and only focus.

The music builds to crescendos and has many peaks and valleys to get lost in. Driving leads and hopeful melodies abound and the band members all seem proficient in their instruments.

Samples and other electronic accompaniments are used throughout, but these are largely subtle affairs and not overly obvious. They essentially work behind the scenes to add little extras to the songs that may not always be instantly noticeable but would be to the music’s detriment if they were absent.

At only 18 minutes in length this is a short release, but one that captures the imagination.

Check them out.

Sea of Disorder – Merging Land and Sky (Review)

Sea of Disorder are a Post-Metal band from Austria, and this is their début album.

The band play a combination of Post-Metal and Doom that combines the atmospheric with the harsh.

As well as the standard instrumentation Sea of Disorder also use keyboards and effects to get the sound they like, as well as including a fair few guests from other bands.

As alluded to earlier, Sea of Disorder mix the lighter, more introspective elements of Post-Metal with the louder and heavier aspects of Doom to create long songs that tell a tale in atmospheres and moods.

Deep vocals that seem to come from the bowels roar out accompanied by large riffs and atmospheric heaviness. This is juxtaposed against the more Post-Rock instrumental moments of tranquillity as the band build themselves up to a peak.

Cleans also appear on As the Clouds Disperse and they fit Sea of Disorder’s style well.

Overall I liked this quite a bit. Check them out.

In Cauda Venenum – In Cauda Venenum (Review)

In Cauda Venenum are a Post-Black Metal band from France and this is their début album.

Consisting of only two tracks, each lasting a touch over 21 minutes in length, this is an ambitious release that makes good use of the longer playing times to explore darkened themes and Blackened music.

Post-Black Metal is such a rich sub-genre that has so many opportunities to impress, and In Cauda Venenum take advantage of all of these.

The band play harrowing Black Metal that’s epic in scope and spiced up with enough Post-Rock/Metal elements to claim the Post-Black Metal tag as its own.

The music is masterly crafted and very atmospheric. Blackened riffs and blasting drums meet introspective restraint and Progressive explorations.

Both songs are very well written and it’s clear that a lot of time and effort has gone into their composition. Dynamics, pacing and mood have all been carefully considered and the end result is 42 minutes of elite Post-Black Metal that in many ways skirts the best that both genres have to offer.

The vocals are of the ultra-high, almost-static variety that work so well with Atmospheric Black Metal.

The recording is a quality one with the guitars in particular having a good tone. A clear, powerful sound gives the drums plenty of strength and as a whole the production strikes the right balance between underground ice and polished darkness.

As I say; in addition to the vocals and drums though, I do particularly enjoy the guitars on this album. They have the requisite Blackened bite and melodics in spades but they also benefit from being heavier than the norm for the style and employing some choice riffs throughout the songs.

A hugely impressive release. In Cauda Venenum have produced two remarkable songs of high Blackened art.

Top work.

Code – Mut (Review)

Code are from the UK and this is their fourth album.

It seems that Code have undergone somewhat of a transformation since 2013’s Augur Nox; gone is the Avant-Garde Black Metal, instead being replaced with Progressive Post-Rock.

Their new incarnation is akin to a cross between Red Sparowes, Anathema, Autumnblaze, Green Carnation and Radiohead to my ears. It’s a change in style that seems to suit the band as it sounds like a natural fit.

The music is stripped back but expressive and emotive nonetheless. The relatively short songs contain a lot of content in a short space of time; one would almost expect music of this nature to be double the length but most of the tracks here are about 3-4 minutes in duration.

The vocals are similar in style to their past versions, albeit less extravagant and with greater fragility. His voice has an internal power to it though that again reminds of the singers of Anathema and Autumnblaze.

The songs seem to tell a story and pull the listener into their world. The soundscapes Code create are involving and forbidding; they’ve managed to create a sense of carnival-esque awe and wonder for the listener to explore through Post-Rock textures and Progressive Rock workouts.

I applaud the band for their willingness to update their sound, and although I will miss their past style they’ve amply proven to me with Mut that they continue to create rich and engaging music.

A triumph.

Sativa – 100 Years After Never (Review)

Sativa are from Bulgaria and this is their latest release. They play instrumental Post-Rock.

This is winding Post-Rock with a nice Progressive Rock edge to their sound. There’s also some Psychedelia and Stoner elements to their sound that essentially mean 100 Years After Never is a very relaxing, easy listen that washes over you like a rippling tide.

That’s not to say it’s all calm sailing as the band ramp it up a bit when they need to, but there’s no real heavy aggression here or anything of that sort.

Ethereal Post-Rock guitar blends with down-to-earth bass to create a listening experience that’s tranquil and charged at the same time. Sativa do well in this combination of beauty and gritty realism and the songs on this EP are nicely judged.

With the Stoner connection it’s the usual thing to make lots of comparisons to deserts, etc. but the reality is that Sativa have got somewhat of a watery vibe going on in some ways. This is especially strong on track 3, which gives the distinct impression of bubbles…

Maybe it’s just me, but I can hear it, I swear…

Overall this is a neat little EP that hits more times than it misses.

Recommended.

Falloch – This Island, Our Funeral (Review)

Falloch are from the UK, and this is their second album. They play Folk-tinged Post-Rock.

This is the kind of album you’d listen to when trying to relax at the end of a hard day, or when you want something light and non-invasive to tinkle away in the background.

Falloch specialise in nature-inspired songs that take the slow route and utilise the build/release nature of Post-Rock to carve out their ethereal sounds.

This Island, Our Funeral is somewhat of a mix of bands such as Agalloch, Anathema and Blueneck only with more of a Post-Rock style and an elemental, windswept feel.

Guitar melodies and leads conjure images akin to the album cover and the organic production has some steel to it despite the nature of the music.

The vocals are well-performed with layered harmonies and angelic tones. The singer’s voice is well judged and fits the music well; it shares the same Folk-edge that the music does and the vocal melodies seep out of the speakers like honey.

Falloch have crafted an album that attempts to forge an emotional connection with the listener and its success largely depends on how receptive the listener is to what they have to say. They clearly believe in what they’re doing and I think they’re definitely worth a listen or two. Have at it.