Monday 8 January 2018

Conjurer - MIRE (Album Review)


Release date: February 23rd 2018. Label: Holy Roar Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

MIRE – Tracklisting

CHOKE
HOLLOW
THANKLESS
RETCH
THE MIRE
OF FLESH WEAKER THAN ASH
HADAL

Members

Dan Nightingale {Vocals/Guitar}
Brady Deeprose {Vocals/Guitar}
Jan Krause {Drums}
Conor Marshall {Bass}

Review

Editor's Note - Simon who is reviewing this album is the bassist from UK Doom/Sludge Metal crew - GREENHORN

After what seems to have been a relatively quiet time for probably the UK's most prolific live act these last few months, we can expect to be seeing and hearing a lot more about them again in the coming months. And with good cause.

Before we go any further I feel I need to be honest on my previous thoughts on Conjurer because "Mire" has given me what I believe is called a moment of clarity.

I'd been fortunate enough to see them play live on a couple of occasions (and less fortunate that due to scheduling I've had to play after them. Can't recommend it.) and like everyone else who's ever seen them have always been blown away and left feeling... well left feeling like I've been violated by their sheer ferocity.

I was also fortunate enough to review their EP which at the time I loved. But the more I listened to it, the less I loved it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but to me I felt like perhaps it was too much. Too heavy, too aggressive and after its initial impact, I struggled with repeated listens.

Well I can tell you this for nothing. Repeated listens is no problem here. Other than to the detriment of the rest of my record collection...

Conjurer have employed incredible use of dynamics, touches of light and shade, sublime vocal interplay and even a few clean vocals to result in a genuinely phenomenal and emotive experience.

Sure that ferocity that you're expecting and that you get live is still very much present and correct, but when it's needed Conjurer don't shy away from dialling things back a notch, which ultimately makes the pay off that much greater when it kicks back in.

The first three tracks, "Choke" "Hollow" and "Thankless" set out their mission statement for the album pretty succinctly.

Showing their influences but without ever simply mimicking them, there are nods to black metal, death metal, grindcore and of course the sludge/doom scene that they find themselves perhaps most closely associated with. Touching on most genres of extreme metal, but always retaining their own identity. The biggest compliment I can give is to say that,Conjurer sound like Conjurer.

For me standout tracks are the magnificently spiteful "Retch" and the closing track "Hadal" which is impossible for me to listen to in the car anymore for fear of setting off an airbag as I try and (badly and indignantly) drum along on the dashboard.

The first time I listened to "Mire" in full, I found myself being a little surprised at how much I enjoyed it. As I reached to switch the playlist on my phone and listen to something else I was even more surprised when I couldn't bring myself to do it. So I just played it again. And again. And again...

And if you buy the record when it comes out via the incredible Holy Roar you'll find yourself doing exactly the same.

Words by Simon Williams

Thanks to Lisa at Hold Tight PR for the promo. MIRE will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Holy Roar Records from February 23rd 2018.

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