Release
date: October 24th 2016. Label: Shelsmusic. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Helvellyn
– Tracklisting
Helvellyn
I
Helvellyn
II
Helvellyn
III
Helvellyn
IV
Helvellyn
V
Helvellyn
VI
Band
Members:
Greg
Wynne – Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
Alex
Macarte – Bass, Vocals, Percussion
Paul
Heron - Drums
Review:
Often
when I listen to intense, avant-garde music of this ilk the sonic
tapestry will conjure bleak textures and fanciful themes of anguish.
What is both interesting and incredibly attractive about Manatees’
epic new release, ‘Helvellyn’ is that just beyond the brusque
flesh of its abrasive introduction lies a vibrant undercurrent of
uplifting and joyful catharsis.
I
enjoyed Manatees’ 2009 release, ‘Icarus, The Sunclimber’
hugely. It was a titan display of energy that made more ripples than
every marine creature that has ever lived. Helvellyn however, manages
to sound as colossal as the 950m mountain for which it is named and
yet glisten with a dynamic subtlety that holds me captive as it
breathes. It feels as though Manatees have focussed on developing the
nuanced and delicate elements in tracks like Sunclimber in order to
attain a beguiling cocktail of enchanting sound enriched with
ethereal wonder.
As
with most great records, anyone would have a difficult time summing
up this particular listening experience with a handful of simple
references; so I will employ a maritime theme and use nautical
language in an attempt to log my journey. This is a diverse, heavy
record with more hooks than a whaling ship and the dynamic array of
an underwater mountain range.
Helvellyn’s
evocative introduction is complemented by a melancholy doom groove
reminiscent of Pallbearer and Windhand. It is instantly enthralling.
Layers of rich guitars and diaphanous organ create an omnipresent
whale song as beautiful bass groans in the deep, setting the tone for
a mesmeric incantation. It proclaims, “The paths we follow will
show. The light inside us will grow” forecasting the journey ahead
as it beckons us to give in to the immersive allure of the absorbing
ambience and allow ourselves to be carried across the waves as they
rise and fall in a dynamic composition of oceanic scale. Seriously
though, fanciful language aside I listened to it on repeat in the
bath and managed to lose the majority of my Saturday to its
extraordinary charm, almost drowning myself in the process. Those
that enjoy the more subtle elements of the likes of Boris, Isis,
Russian Circles and perhaps even the post-rock flair of artists such
as Sigur Ros and Mogwai will find much to enjoy in the first half of
Helvellyn.
After
a rejoiceful eternity in which our buoyant, disembodied minds drift
aimlessly across black, empty waters we are suddenly stirred by an
early Melvins-esque rhythm which bangs away like the clunking
mechanics of a hefty war vessel as it tears through the waves towards
battle, carrying us with it in its wake. If you enjoy the sinister
grooves of YOB and Cough then the latter half of this record will
satisfy your appetite for noise with thunderous guitar and a level of
fuzz equal to that of Captain Ahab’s beard. A battle ensues and the
once peaceful horizon is ablaze with the muzzle flash of a thousand
guns.
The
smoke clears and once again, Macarte adds a distinctly uplifting and
emotive element to the caustic timbre of Manatees’ heavy growl as
the bass pulses through the blackness like a beacon upon the war
vessel’s radar. The final track on the album plays out like an
incensed swansong with the band persisting defiantly against the
still, cold waters as the engines of the formidable SS. Helvellyn
lull lamentably to feedback and then we sink into silence.
Words
by ThisHairyGuy
Helvellyn
will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Shelsmusic from October
24th 2016.
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