Release
date: July 01st
2016. Label: Holy Roar Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
I
– Tracklisting
1.Behold
The Swine
2.Scorn
3.A
Chasm Forged In Dread And Disarray
4.Frail
Band
Members:
Dan
Nightingale {Vocals/Guitar}
Brady
Deeprose {Vocals/Guitar}
Jan
Krause {Drums}
Andy
Price {Bass}
Review:
Conjurer
are a band that I have just recently been put onto and perhaps just
in time as their debut E.P. "I" has just started streaming
on the Terrorizer website ahead of pre-release sale on the Holy Roar.
The band identify themselves as 'post sludge' but to me they have as
much in common with a good, raw and primitive Black Metal outfit as
anything else. Amongst their (substantial) listed influences are
Slabdragger, Conan, Anaal Nathrak, Hang the Bastard and Oathbreaker.
When listening to them I hear elements of Marduk's 'La grand dans
Macabre', a guitar tone reminiscent of Sepultura and an ethereal mood
of Angel Whore - 10 points if that last reference means anything to
you.
I
have been listening to the E.P. "I" almost perpetually
looped for a couple of weeks now. Its production polished enough not
to interfere with the raw nature of the music and each track
dynamically paced for a conscientious sense of dramatic timing. The
riffs are plentiful, meaty and industrious giving way to the
occasional and appropriately placed solo that shows off a flair for
the technical that would otherwise have them painted as the sort of
'purists' to turn their nose up at that sort of display. The drumming
is a particular point of interest for me as it shows a creative flair
with plenty of hooks, pauses and refrains that don't allow the
listener a passive ride but instead have them on edge for the
duration Like the ghosts in Super Mario that grab you when you look
away. It is a record not dependant on blast beats to keep the it
moving forward but when the time is right Jan Krause is well equipped
to pulverise the track and the listener with a barrage on par with
the first days of the Somme.
Vocally
I could drop any number of adjectives that you've read in any number
of reviews before (brutal, crushing etc. etc.) but instead I'll draw
focus to the nature of the vocals and how the shared responsibility
of Dan Nightingale and Brady Deeprose allows a saturation into the
mix that is used to almost full potential. The rich texture and
layering that you are accosted with in this record is exactly what
you can expect to find in a live show but don't think for a minute
that 'Rich' could confused with 'pleasant' as a rasping almost shrill
topline accompanies a guttural roar placed against each other in
pique discord that is both well developed but shows a real room for
growth that will have me checking in on future releases.
To
break down the individual parts is to ignore the bigger picture. This
record is grim, primitive and melancholic. Reverb-y acoustic intros
drop you into a well of despairing riffs at every turn and most often
mutates into a palpable rage but every now and then with just one
short bar or phrase it puts across a real sense of optimism that
could stand to upset the purists but represents a serious progression
in style and mood. I am happy this one landed in my lap and would
encourage others to grab a copy of this future classic.
Words
by Luke The Bastard
I
will be available to buy via Holy Roar Records on CD/DD/Vinyl from
July 1st 2016.
Links:
