post metal / black metal

Soul Grip are dead. Not to keep beating around the bush any more than necessary, the band is dead. The quintet from Ghent in Belgium have just released their latest EP and at the same time called it quits. They made it very clear in their final statement, that these songs were written during the Covid19-lockdown when it became obvious that their plans for recording a new full-length would not be happening. Thus they decided to record these two ‘quarantine songs’ in their rehearsal space and to have these songs reflect upon the times we are living in and (indirectly) how we deal with these things. The songs are Soul Grip at their songwriting peak, all the elements one loved about their music are still there and so much more. There are strong emotional, melancholic, deeply sorrowful moments on the record accompanied by some heavy outbursts that made them famous. “Sleep” is more based on doom elements and midtempo-structures. “Release me” on the other side is “classic” Soul Grip with all the hardcore-influences the band has been hailed for which even can be more relatable when you listen to those minute changes in pace and guitar work where only small little tidbits change the song’s atmosphere noticeably. It is always difficult to write and record your final songs, but maybe this is the best way imaginable because Soul Grip show up all the despair, all the sadness, the rage and the wrath that mankind is going through in this year of the pandemic. We can deny all our fears and anger as much as we want to, but when we go to bed and put our head to sleep we wish to be released from all of it in order to flee from reality when dreaming. Soul Grip do not deny the world around them, the show up all its darkness and bleakness and give word and sound to a year and time that will remain with us even after its gone. Just like Soul Grip will remain with us now that they’re gone. Good music always does that. Awesome music makes us aware of these changes inside of us. 

post rock / math rock

India and general Asia is turning out as one of the best places to look for awesome post-rock right now. Yet another example for this is Celestial Teapot from Pune, who has just released a three-song EP that is clearly post-rock in its layout and its roots but that is simultaneously incorporating so many other bits and snippets that it transcends the usual crescendo-core or quiet-loud-structure change ideas. You will find near-AOR guitar licks, some really wonderfully incorporated synth-passages and even some close-to-hardcore drumming parts – on the first track alone! The quintet is able to follow up to its full-length predecessor “One Big Sky” with a short EP (three tracks in 18 minutes) that will probably hit a mark within the post-rock community. The reason is simple that the band is able to (seemingly) effortlessly incorporate so many other genres that one can only categorize it under “Mathy Post-Rock” because they show the same ability to switch paces, moods, styles within a matter of seconds. The conceptual layout of the record is also very interesting as it deals with hearing problems and what it means to one’s life having to face these problems; how hearing things differently (up to the point where it causes physical pain to hear a something that “is” wrong) or how people who cannot hear (or lose their hearing abilities) have a very different quality of life resulting in a real fear of being able to hear. These ideas are shared in songs like “Misophonia” or “Defgain” - and most of the time they are shared instrumentally, as only one track features spoken word samples. Celestial Teapot deliver a short but thoughtful, cleverly arranged and mighty ingenious work of post-rock that you should really give a listen!

gothic / trip hop

TripHop is a genre that often plays with the future – Gaia Guarda uses it as a basis for her Gothic inspired music whose base features three very old instruments: The cello, the violin and the harp. Montreal-based Gaia plays the harp while Michelle and Jessica (who play with Gaia in the metal band Uriel) contribute the other two. Together with drummer Rocky Gray she wrote a record that is as much looking into the future, as it based in the past and reflecting the present. The combination of a classical string basis with triphop beats is not really new, strings have been used in the Bristol-sound for decades already. However, on Gaia’s debut album it is different, as the strings are not ornaments to an otherwise very beat-oriented music but as the centerpiece of it. Nevertheless, do not envision the music to be like Joanna Newsom only because of the harp – it is different and much closer to some synthpop acts like Wolfsheim or VNV Nation. Her music is at the same time classical and new – thus a good example of neo-classical music. The lyrics are often very introspective and reveal a person not rested but haunted. “I ran across the world / You won’t find me, I must survive / I can’t explain the force pushing me to never give up on you” – she is running away but at the same time doesn’t want to forget a certain person. At times, this sound like a masochistic perspective on one’s own pain and its roots. Gaia Guarda is surely a very well-trained artist to watch as she breaks down some boundaries and steps onto unknown territory, connecting the past, present and future of songwriting into a new approach to music. If she then gains a perspective (in her lyrics) outside of her own, not only “relying” on her own experience – then she can become the next big indie voice. 

psychedelic / sludge

Interstellar Smoke Records

This split by Ghost:Hello and Night Goat, both from Ohio, is like a trip back in time. The cover is a bit like those old 50s and 60s pulp fiction “books”. The sound is also like a voyage in the Delorian, back to two places – once the late 60s, early 70s when psychedelic was at its peak and once to the late 80s when noise rock was in its bloom. Interestingly, the two bands involved here each have a hold on one of these two epochs – where Ghost:Hello are a bit like the whirlwind from the Nixon-ear with a very nice fuzzy tone to their psychedelia. This trio from Akron (the town of the Black Keys) is definitely a good choice for all those whose understanding of music revolves around bands like 13th Floor Elevators, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown or Iron Butterfly but probably also on bands like Primal Scream or My Bloody Valentine. The latter two are probably like the most common denominator with fellow Ohioans Night Goat (from Canton) whose noise likely takes inspiration from those Brits too, but also of course from Jesus Lizard and Unsane. Their three songs on the flipside are much sludgier and much more aggressive but never running away without control. They attack you with their noisy riffs and thundering rhythm section, but they don’t go for the quick win, no they rather enjoy beating your ears to pieces by punching them song by song with their highly efficient noise rock. This split is one for the lovers of the sounds off the popular paths and into the underground where there is a lot of sweat from repairing the Delorian just to go back in time.

post hardcore / emo

Okay, Adam Sakauye has listened to some The Smiths and probably also some Placebo as he really sounds like a mix of Morrissey and Brian Molko (which is not the worst combination when it comes to vocals – and only vocals!) and that becomes quite obvious when listening to Ottawa’s T-Rex Marathon and their new record “Days without Incident” out since Mid-October. The band channels their post-hardcore motifs and song-structures into 10 very nicely done and well-balanced songs. Especially songs like “A Prison just for Us” are really nicely done because they show how non-aggressively gang shouts can be integrated into modern hardcore. It is a band whose musical references are bands like Alexisonfire or Silverstein and the band does not imitate those Canadian idols but rather channels their ideals and abilities when it comes to writing good midtempo hardcore songs with a message. “Faux News” for example is a good pun on Fox News and tries to show how we are manipulated by mass media whose purpose is not to deliver information but to deliver narratives. The band says the song is “punchy, energetic, focused, and provocative, the song is meant to be shouted out loud” - right they are, if you cannot shout along to this one, then you are already dead. And if there is one thing that T-Rex Marathon is not – then it’s dead. This band is very much alive and kicking. 


​Thorsten

post rock / black metal

Iceland is a country of stunning beauty found in gruesome natural surroundings. Darkness and cold, storms and gushing sea are parts of normal everyday life in Iceland. Thus, a lot of Icelanders turn towards their inner-ness, inside the house, within the inner family circle or also in oneself. This turn towards the inner elements of life can result in a kind of caught-up-seclusion and introspection where one has to face its own demons, sometimes even on his or her own. That this introvert kind of living is not always for the better is obvious although one should not underestimate the toughness of the people living on this volcanic rock in the middle of the North Atlantic, just a crow’s sound away from the Arctic. 

Music from Iceland thus is manifold, although to be honest, most of what we hear from the island is rather dark, Múm, Minus, Gavon Portland on the alternative side, and MisÞyrming, Almyrkvi, Svartidaudi on the metal side of things, while Sigur Ros, Björk and For a Minor Reflection serve the post-rock-aficionados. And then there are bands like Dynfari who walk on the razor’s edge by combining post-rock and black metal, not to equal measures but with more than just a hint. This also shows on their latest offering “Myrkurs er Þörf” out on Code666. 

Musically the record offers everything one should expect from the aforementioned combination of genres, it is hopeful in a few places and depressive in some others, with the latter dominating a bit at first glance. Nevertheless, the first track you hear “Dauðans dimmu dagar” is a pure post-rock track with a bit of a blackened crescendo with the drums emanating a sense of black metal atmosphere. When second track “Langar Nætur” kicks off with the foot clearly a step harder on the gas it becomes clear that this band is not gonna be a one-sided one. Here we have a band that, with four previous full-lengths to their credit, knows what to do to capture the listener and lead him through the spiraling labyrinth downwards and downward. 

The vocals by bassist Jóhann Örn, who also plays the accordion and the synths on this record, are blackened but not simply screaming and howling but interestingly a bit clearer than usual for the genre – if one could understand the language! It becomes clear that his vocals are clearer than in most cases when you listen to the English passages, for example in the final track “Of Suicide Redemption”. Here it also shows that the promo text for the record might be true when it says that Dynfari focus on the darker sides of life – suicide and sadness, depression and death. Not unique but remarkable are the musicality. It seems as if everything on this record is in its perfect spot and as everything is sounds perfectly balanced one should also give credit to the production and mastering of “Myrkurs er Þörf”. 

If you like your post-rock a little less bright and with shadows and darkness, this band is definitely worth your attention. The purists (of both genres) better stay away from it, while the others sit back and enjoy a multi-faceted, multi-dimensional record full of fantastic atmospheric songs that easily lead you onto a road to this dark rock up north, inside one of the houses, into the depths of the secluded soul.


Thorsten

ambient / post rock

Last night, right before going to bed, I stood on my balcony, looking over de street. It was quiet, empty, abandoned. It took me a few seconds before I realized that this was due to the Covid-19 restrictions. Currently everybody in Belgium is supposed to be at home by midnight. In a busy city like Antwerp, silence takes the upper hand.
Then, this morning, I decided to wake from my reviewing-hibernation and simply go with the flow. On my desk was this album by Yellow6, the project by Jon Attwood. The title 'Silent Streets and Empty Skies' immediately grabbed my attention. It first perfectly with the current zeitgeist, so to speak.


'Silent Streets and Empty Skies', released by Sound In Silence, is a gentle yet brooding statement about these troubled times. All tracks were recorded between April and June 2020 during the first period of lockdowns and quarantines. Attwood took the time to become inspired by the desolation he witnessed around him. Empty parks, lack of planes in the sky, people avoiding the streets. It's an odd visual experience but one which Attwood has beautifully translated into a soothing ambient album. 

On this album you will find nine pieces of work, all quite similar and blending into one another which guarantees a 77 minutes listening bliss. Attwood uses minimal soundscapes, tentative guitar melodies and airy ambient textures to recreate these gems. 'V2' is my favorite track here. It seems to nudge carefully towards the ambient jazz scene, something I think Yellow6 would fit in perfectly it he wanted to. On other occasions, such as in 'Broadcast', Attwood strips the whole post rock scene to create something emotional.

That's perhaps the strongest aspect of this album. You will find heaps of emotion in here, a somewhat haunted atmosphere that modestly reflects the world outside our windows. Some of you might shed a few tears while listening to the gloomy 'Panam', others might find hope in the soothing sounds of 'Silent Flight' but I know for sure that every fan on minimal ambient and subdued post rock will highly appreciate these nine pieces of soundcandy. I know I have and I will for a very long time to come.


​Serge

post rock / post metal

2020 is probably the most interesting year since the second world war. Not only do we have a deadly health-crisis to deal with, there are riots, Black Lives Matter protests and global warming, plus we all seem to be stuck with a bunch of people who lack the one body part pictured on the cover of the new Wayward Bound album. But enough about politicians, let's just jump to the one thing that actually makes this year worth staying alive for: music. Let's face it, these troubled times have caused an avalanche of new music, certainly from one-man projects who suddenly had a lot of time on their hands. Belgian post rock act Wayward Bound is one them.

'The Denihilist' is David's third album as Wayward Bound and it's a smasher. Opener 'In Niz Bogzarad' easily grabs the listener's attention with pulsating basses. The track gradually evolves into a classic Wayward Bound track, heavily inspired by post rock and post metal but also nudging towards the thrash metal scene with its heavy riffs and pounding drums. In no time you'll be either shaking your ass or banging your head. Not only that, fans of progressive rock might also enjoy this stuff. Title track 'The Denihilist' is one of those instant classics and instantly recognizable tracks where you say "Hey, this is Wayward Bound, awesome". And then there is the jolly and plucky 'The History Of Fish', which serves as an intermezzo and a smile in these dark days, or something like that.

I think it's no surprise when I say that 'One Step At A Time' is my personal favorite here. This massive post rock anthem was composed for the soundtrack of the book 'I Do Not Want This' and rightfully made the album. Personally, I think this is Wayward Bound at his very best, containing the most impressive ending this act has ever composed. 'Turn The Tide' is another favorite. It's one of those tunes you'd want to add to your playlist while driving the open road. The only downside is: we'll probably never going to be able to witness all this post-rock splendor live. I've said it before and I'll say it again, David needs a live band and an audience.

'Tear Down The Waltz' is not only the most brilliant song title on this album, it's also a mindbending piece of music, one that shows a one-man act slowly perfecting its trade. Once again: this might cause some headbanging activity and some butt-shakery. Hell, the apotheosis of this track might even cause a little moshpit in your living room. that's how exciting and exhilarating this album really is. 'Human Instrumentality' and 'Public Isolation Booth' were great post rock/metal albums but 'The Denihilist' easily tops those. It feels more serious, convincing and immersive. So yeah, post rock fans, get your money ready. You'll need this...


​Serge

post rock

Post-Rock is often said to be thinking man’s genre and thus associated with structure, reflection and not very much spontaneity. Listen to Tortoise’s “TNT” or Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s “Luciferian Dreams” or even Radiohead’s “OK Computer”, and that might become clearer. Here the listener is faced with loads of multi-layered, strongly-constructed and in a way also pretty self-reflective records where apparently no tone is in its wrong place. If something spontaneous happens it is happening in a concert-situation where deviation from the original “script” might be even wished for. Or it is really small thing (like the pun in Mogwai’s Dial:Revenge sung by Super Furry Animals’s Welsh singer, who told them that Dial is Welsh for Revenge).

However, this cannot be said for the new Whale Fall record “It Will Become Itself” which is based on a 38-minute-jam-session with all the band members once in a while be attending in Los Angeles back in 2018. The quintet usually records all the things they come up with during such a session and thus it also happened with what then later on became the new record. A few months later, they un-chested this treasure from the box and remembered that they all had really liked that session. When listening to it they discovered that this was basically a new record in its first unpolished stages.

Then the five-piece went about polishing up as they say it and added a small piano prelude (which incidentally was another spontaneous outburst by one of their former contributors) and after a bit “It Will Become itself” became what it is now – Whale Fall’s fourth full-length, released by the band in collaboration with Sydney’s Art as Catharsis label. 

This record has all the makings of a regular jam-session record without the annoying jam-session character with lots of musicians too often trying to display their own skills and thus forgetting the song or band. Fortunately, Whale Fall is an assembly of highly-talented musicians playing various instruments (including several wind instruments) and after nearly a decade of playing together seem to have connected a lot. This becomes clear when you listen to the opus magnum of the record, “El Caracol”(English “the slug”). It is an 18 minute long track with an intricate use of the cornet and flugelhorn lending their soft, warm vibrations to a slowly progressing. A few weeks ago, Ramper also published another brilliant long track using winds in post-rock (“Nuestros mejores deseos”) and some very jazzy connotations – is there trend going on here?

One should also remark that there are some minor “mistakes” on the record (can one really talk about mistakes on a jam-session record?) like a bit too overpowered guitars or the drums not defined well-enough. Nevertheless, this is the charming thing about “It Will Become Itself” - the record established itself against all obstacles. A genesis unto itself, so to speak. Of course, this concurs with the later going back to the recording and realizing the foundations of a mesmerizing record. 

Now, this record will pop up on some lists at the end of the year and not even surprisingly so, because it is a good combination of what one likes about post-rock, the wall-of-sound, the constructing and looping, interesting instrumentation etc. But it is even more, it is a testament to the abilities of this band. If they are able to perform this on the go, then boy, many other bands will be jealous of it because their reflections will not lead them to such an elegant and powerful performance. 


Thorsten

In June 2018 I wrote a series of Brieviews ("brief reviews") for Greek label Sound In Silence. This was one of the the first specials we did and several others have followed. Now, after a hiatus in  review writing, I noticed that the label has released six interesting releases available on their bandcamp page. So, this looks like the perfect opportunity to compose six new Brieviews to guide you through the magical world of Sound In Silence.

electronic / ambient / post rock

Released in November 2019, 'Phantom Lights' is a gentle and playful six track EP by Anglo-American act Memory Drawings. The band is the brainchild of Joel Hanson and features guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Richard Adams, violinist Sarah Kemp, pianist Gareth S Brown  and multi-instrumentalist Chris Cole.
The music moves between ambient, folk, classical music and post rock. It never gets heavy, intense or dark but always remains on a blissful, shimmering level. That's what makes this album such a pleasure to listen to. Tunes like 'Two Rooms' and 'The Final Curtain' can easily bring a smile to your face, even in these weird times.

I don't really know if I can draw references to other bands. Perhaps fans of Tortoise, Dakota Suite or Do May Say Think or Bark Psychosis. Fact remains, this is a nice album, destined to light up the gloomy days in your life.

ambient / electronic

Sound In Silence

Hailing from Paris, France, Astatine is the solo project of Stéphane Recrosio, known from the post rock / slowcore band Acetate Zero. On his first album for Sound In Silence, Astatine delivers no less than twenty tracks, varying from gloomy ambient pieces to gritty minimal rock songs. 

I think it's safe to say that this is not the easiest S.I.S. album to digest. With fuzzed out guitars, mumbles, distorted vocals and processed sounds, Astatine creates the atmosphere of many bedroom acts. There is a sense of loneliness here, laced with fear, anger and a constant urge to experiment.

Some of the songs are downright ugly, like grunge tunes without drums or bass, while others reveal the ramblings of a mad mind. In all, it's clear that this is not for everyone but fans of the experimental and avant garde will definitely enjoy these odd tunes.

ambient / electronic / post rock / downtempo

worriedaboutsatan is probably one of my favorite bands from the last decennium. I've seen them a few times at Dunk! festival where their magical sounds filled the forest and got hooked immediately. So, seeing this act appear on one of my favorite labels from the last decennium surely fills my ambient heart with joy.
Crystalline is worriedaboutsatan’s sixth full-length album and judging from the label's bandcamp page one of the most successful releases on Sound In Silence. To me this comes as no surprise. The act already has a loyal following, which is one reason. But, there is also the simple fact that 'Crystalline' is a brilliant album.

Once again combining elements from downtempo electronics, post rock and ambient, this album contains eight tracks. 'Open The Door' pretty much serves as an intro, luring the listener with sweet soundscapes. 'Steps Inside' places worriedaboutsatan right next to acts like Boards Of Canada, Plaid and Biosphere. This tune is a downtempo delight. 'Cali' is a beautiful guitar base ambient loop and 'Mirrors' perfectly combines these worlds. Oh well, let's just face it, this is a perfect worriedaboutsatan album, one I recommend to every self respecting slow music fan...

ambient / electronic / shoegaze

Vancouver based solo project Test Card is the brainchild of  Lee Nicholson. He returns for his third fill-length, his second on Sound In Silence. 'Music For The Towers' contains eight tracks and combines soothing ambient with gentle post rock. This is one of those albums to enjoy with your eyes closed. It's warm, calm and relaxing. What else could an ambient fan possibly desire?
Here the focus lies on hazy electronics, playful guitar loops and soft soundscapes, created with field recordings, synths and here and there some glitchy electronic noises. The result is something fans of Biosphere, Carbon Based Lifeforms and so on. Music for the soul...

ambient / electronic

This is already the seventh album by Ukrainian act Endless Melancholy, although it's his Sound In Silence debut. Fans of the project already know what to expect, namely exactly what the bandname promises. Soundscapes, synths and a gloomy atmosphere create an absolute beauty.
'A Perception Of Everything' contains nine tracks in which piano, field recordings and synths attempt to guide the listener on a journey through him/herself. Of these, 'Immersion' is probably my favorite but that's a tough decision to make. The whole album tells an interesting story, sometimes calm, sometimes experimental but always worth your attention.

ambient / electronic

I'm afraid that this edition of Brieviews specials is becoming an endless repetition of words like "soundscapes", "beautiful", "atmosphere", "drones", and so on. Like most other releases on this edition, this album by Manchester residing act Halftribe is a sweet and soothing ambient album, containing everything fans like about this genre. 
The album, another S.I.S. debut but already Halftribe's fifth, contains eleven tracks. Some of them remind me of acts like Stars Of The Lid while in others the sounds of Tim Hecker and Fennesz seem to have been an inspiration. Perfect music for a lazy and hazy Sunday afternoon, or any moment of any day for that matter.

Serge

post rock

Post-rock with or without vocals – an everlasting, ongoing discussion without an end. In the case of Adelaide-based five-piece iiah it is not a question, and their answer is probably “if”. Yes, if necessary. No, if unnecessary. Basically that means that they will not limit their soundscape for a fixed answer that might be wrong for some songs. 

On their second album “Terra”, just released on Bird’s Robe Records, the band uses instrumental arrangements to start their long-awaited collection of songs. Long-awaited because their first full-length “Distances” from 2017 was a huge hit in the post-rock scene and some people compared the band to the everlasting icons Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Although no band should be compared to the folks from Montreal, this might in some way really be the best comparison for iiah, as their sound also relies heavily on the dynamics and usage of crescendo while never lacking some near-metal drums, a mix of fragility and strength. However, of course, that scrutiny might be a bit too early for iiah, but who knows where this band will go, because for them is really wide open, basically. 

The scenarios drawn up on “Terra” seemingly span a lot of different “locations”; sometimes one has the feeling of standing under an irregular waterfall, some time else as is crossing a mountain range where the air gets thinner and thinner. One thing that really struck me when listening to the record was the way that the drumming is growing on me. First, I had the notion that it is rather conventional drumming for this genre, but after listening to it a few more times I got to appreciate the way Matthew Stedman mixes a good portion of heavy pounding with some nice arhythmical shuffles. The piano and synth elements on certain songs really give an argument for the wrongfulness of the GYBE-comparison: iiah is always warm, never tense; it’s embracing, not challenging. That can also be said of the vocals by Tim Day, because his voice is sometimes pretty drawn out; very much like an instrument often seemingly singing melodies rather than actual words. That notion is also evident when you remember that he doesn’t “sing” on every song. Nonetheless, the most important group for iiah are the three guitars that are definitely necessary to weave so many spirals, crescendos, roll-overs, delays, (small) drones over each other. Really impressive is that it never is too much, the five guys always seem to feel what next step would be taking it over the top. 

Maybe a too-frequent use of vocals would do so, but who knows if? Well, iiah knows that for sure, they know their own “if necessaries”. 


​Thorsten

post rock

It is very difficult to impress in a genre as “limited” and yet as “open” as post-rock. However, there is also hardly any genre with more appreciative fans who welcome new bands to the fold as much as post-rock. Still Motions from Phoenix, Arizona prove both points. 

Their style of music is floating somewhere between Iiah, Russian Circles and Outlander and “Mirrors” is their full-length debut released on Post.Recordings and by now nearly completely sold out; after mere a few weeks. That, of course, raises the question how this debut record can have gathered such a following so quickly? There are three possible answers: a) very small number of records made available, b) lots of fans just simply buying from a well-known label, c) an awesome record. While a) and b) should be dismissed as too negative-minded, c) can be answered by having a good look at the music itself. 

The band is quite intriguing in their approach to metal-induced post-rock for often this genre relies on a strong drummer to tell “the story”. In this case, however, it is more the guitar work that keeps the listener on the edge. It is the ability to strike a chord without breaking the scene; to softly let it float into existence where it can choose for itself whether it wants to meander out or open up everything else around it. If one then takes into consideration the fact that the riffs used to add lots of muscle to fragile constructions, you will understand that this band is all about the six-string. Guitareros Thomas Brenneman and Chris Estes really deliver on the spot with riffs, spirals, crescendos, miniscules and pickings.

All of that shall take nothing away from the rhythm section of Gigi Zimmer on the bass and Chris Julian behind the drums, because it needs a lot of self-control to fully live the role of supporting cast and give it as much depth as these two are giving. Their precision and power is not dominating but also never giving in. Julian does so by a frequent soft touch on the cymbals and rides and a clear-cut use of the toms and snares and Gigi adds some depth and volume to the whole soundscape that is also much-needed with so many of the guitar lines being rather high and delicate. 

Oh, coming back to the question of how come the record is nearly sold out – I guess it is a combination of a lot of devoted genre-fans and a record to really fit the need and mood of said fans. Still Motions will hopefully do both for quite some time now. 


​Thorsten

post rock

In different circumstances I would now be preparing for the high mass of the post rock movement. I'd wash the clothes I wanted to wear, put a few tiny bottles of absinthe in my bag and check my bank account to see how much merchandise I could buy. However, due to the corona-virus, there is no Dunk! festival this year. I'm not crying. 

We can adapt quite easily. I have plenty of post rock releases to fill the musical part of the void left behind by the cancellation but I will surely miss the conversations, the laughter and that delicious chili con carne. I will miss the walks in the forest and I will miss the sweet people. Still, I'm not crying.

In 2016, English band Flies Are Spies From Hell were allowed to open the third day of the festival. I named them the best opener of the three and I remember enjoying their emotional, piano-driven post rock. Several years have passed since then and the band returns with a new album, one I would have loved to witness live. With an album like 'Final Quiet' it's only a matter of time before they will come back to Zottegem because let's just face it: 'Final Quiet' is a beautiful post rock statement.

The album starts with 'Nearly Saw A Light'. I think they could not have chosen a better track to kick off this post rock galore. Everything you need is there. The melancholic piano, the dreamy guitars, the solid rhythm section. When I first played this track a few days ago, I became overwhelmed with a warm, fuzzy feeling. Since then, I've played this album a few times and the track still gets me every time. Certainly in the piano-driven regions of the genre, 'Nearly Saw A Light' is one of the best tunes I've heard in years.

Somehow, Flies Are Spies From Hell easily manage to maintain that quality throughout the entire album, once again highlighting in the emotional sonic adventure that is 'Always Bereaved'. This track is the diesel-motor of post rock: starting slow and subdued but gradually evolving into something epic, something fans of everything between Mono, Maybeshewill and God Is An Astronaut will definitely appreciate. There is also a sense of melodic doom metal hidden in between the notes which I think is pretty awesome.

Yet, I was thinking. Perhaps I adore this album so much because it reflects what I, and with me a whole bunch of other people, can't have this year: that event in Zottegem. Thinking about and listening to the breathtaking melody in 'All The Smiles At Night' finally made me weep like a little child. This is the power of music, and as far as the emotional aspect is concerned, Flies Are Spies From Hell are masterminds. 'Final Quiet' is a must-have for every post rock fan, one to cherish and enjoy for years to come.


​Serge

post rock / doom / shoegaze

“I really messed it up this time” - hell, how wrong can a line from a new song be? Atlanta, Georgia’s Of The Vine are due to release their third regular release (which again needed five years to see the light of the night) called “Left Alone” via A Thousand Arms and dunk!records at the beginning of May and they show why someone called them “the prettiest doom band you’ll ever hear”. No, this is neither doom, nor metal. Nevertheless there is something about this band that one could link to Doomgaze bands like Spotlights; or, depending on one’s preference, to post-rock bands like Pray for Sound; still, “Left Alone” is not even in the middle of those poles or circling on any equator between them – one should not try to categorize Of the Vine because any attempt is set to fail from the start. Thus a look at the real music is necessary.

Taking two songs from the record apart will provide some insight on why this record should be on every post-rock Albums of the Year list at the end of 2020:
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“Left Alone” starts off with something the band hasn’t done before – vocals, though too unclean and non-intelligible, have never been part of the OtV-experience and very often this comes as an unpleasant surprise to post-rock listeners, especially if the song doesn’t follow the aforementioned pattern. The song uses a kind of doom structure with the slow fading of revved up guitar lines then meandering into strong moments of “non-existence” where only the simple but highly effective drum parts keep the song alive just long enough for another wave of distorted, now more coherent heavy guitar riffs to fall into place. Roughly at halftime through the song, the band incorporates some melancholic, less power-based guitar lines accompanied by a great sequence of cymbal-ladden drumming followed by blastbeats before the whole song collapses into simple wavey guitars within seconds. That “silent” collapse and ending comes more abrupt than any distorted breakdown heard in heavy post-rock recently. The song ends with a long outro of nearly two minutes playing with small guitar motifs reaching out to each other and the melancholic unintelligible singing underlines the keyboard spheres added to spread the sadness of “being left alone”. 
The second example taken from the six-song, 44-minute record would be “Messed it up” which is a really beautiful song on the musical surface playing with nice and beaming guitar licks that topple over each other like 1-year-old toddlers wanting to play but also hurting the other. That beauty is contrasted by the lyrics “I really messed it up this time / Will I ever forgive myself / Will you ever look at me again” - this is not Shakespearean quality poetry, but the song is a brilliant example of how the delivery determines the quality of a vocal performance and not the words themselves. Those contrasts born from the pain of loss and loneliness due to personal mistakes are key to understanding the record, not that it is necessary to bring up the everlasting black-white-schemes again, but with this record it must be mentioned that the despair behind it all is not an external one, it is the despair because of oneself, because of one’s own mistakes and blunders that might drive the “narrator” into the sad screams right at the start of the record and with which he has to cope. 

The record is more than your regular post-rock or doomgaze record because the quartet is able to perform any given musical style, which speaks for their musical talent. Taking the time to sit down and listen to this record with headphones on, you can find so many small details that it might cause severe headscratching how in the name of the lord of crescendos and construct-and-collapse songwriting structures this band was overlooked? Well, maybe because they do not use those “simple” notions but more complex ideas of how to convey the idea behind their music. 


Thorsten