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.
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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