Red Sparowes - At the Soundless Dawn (Neurot Recordings)
Take the quieter parts of Isis and Cult of Luna, mate them with
Sonic Youth and Interpol, strip away almost all the vocals, then
add a dash of frenetic explosiveness. This is an approximation
of "At the Soundless Dawn". Most people would preface their
description of this band by mentioning some more well-known bands
(Isis, Neurosis) and their relation to various Red Sparowes
bandmembers, but this is a bit misleading. Yes, there are
elements that betray the origins of the authors, but for the most
part this is an album that stands on its own. "At the Soundless
Dawn" is reflective and meandering, but doesn't wallow in its own
desperation for too long. Unlike the almost exclusively quiet/loud
dynamic approach used by most atmospheric metal bands of late, Red
Sparowes also utilizes melancholy drama countered by hopeful
reprieve to create the needed tension and resolution. It's a
different approach to movement and I'm glad to see it materialize.
Instead of being crushed under a sonic assault, one is lifted and
carried by the immense and epic wave of noise. Dark and quiet themes
stealthfully undulate until the listener is caught unsuspecting, then
writhe and explode into a grand audio upheaval. There's quite a bit
of Sonic Youth-ish "happy daydream" guitars that morph out of ideas
much more sinister. This doesn't mean that there aren't any
bludgeoning apocalyptic riffs, but they've been relegated to the
margins. But don't let this fool you into thinking they're a bunch
of happy-go-lucky, what-me-worry? types. I was starting to feel a
bit warm and fuzzy by this release until the last few minutes of the
last track. How can such a simple drone be so terrifying?
Track listing:
1) Alone and Unaware, the Landscape was transformed in Front of Our Eyes
2) Buildings Began to Stretch Wide Across the Sky, and the Air Filled
with a Reddish Glow
3) The Soundless Dawn Came Alive as Cities Began to Mark the Horizon
4) Mechanical Sounds Cascaded Though the City Walls and Everyone Reveled
in Their Ignorance
5) A Brief Moment of Clarity Broke Through the Deafening Hum, but it was
too Late
6) Our Happiest Days Slowly Began to Turn into Dust
7) The Sixth Extinction Crept Up Slowly, Like Sunlight Through the Shutters,
as We Looked Back in Regret
** Yes, the track titles do indeed form a loosely readable paragraph.
Total playing time - 63 minutes, 5 seconds