Release
date: November
26th
2018. Label: Lay
Bare Recordings (Vinyl Only).
Format: CD/DD/Vinyl
Schwerpunkt
– Tracklisting
1.Borgerskapet
13:49
2.Stórborg
3.Gewapende
Magte
4.Czar
Members
Huibert
- bass
Peter
- Drums
Nik
- guitar
Review
BISMUT
debut album – Schwerpunkt – is a mixture of many different styles
such as Prog Rock, Doom, Desert
Rock,
Stoner, Jazz, Psych and Hard Rock. I was expecting this album to your
usual run-of-the-mill instrumental rock album. I was pleasantly
surprised to see the band exploring many different musical avenues
and making actual bold decisions with their music.
The
first thing that stands out with BISMUT’s music is how complex the
whole album actually sounds whilst still offering the listener a high
amount of epic riffs. BISMUT are a highly talented power-trio and
they incorporate that classic style of sound throughout the album.
Schwerpunkt can be quite progressive and very surreal at times with
the band opting for a heavier and distorted psychedelic sound.
Opening
song – Borgerskapet – is a fourteen minute epic that sees BISMUT
playing a different style of Psychedelic blend of Doom, Sludge and
Stoner Rock. It may take a few minutes to fully get used to BISMUT
style of music. As it’s quite different to other instrumental
rock/metal bands. The sound is very organic and quite a dominant
feel. It’s quite cold and calculating in places but the band still
manage to create an exciting atmosphere that allows their music to be
played naturally.
Second
song – Stórborg – opens with a more psychedelic and ambient
approach though with heavier strands of Sludge Rock slowly making a
confident appearance. The Post-Rock/Post-Metal interludes interact
superbly well with the Stoner based riffs as BISMUT change their
overall sound to one of sonic experimentation. The production once
again is very raw and maybe could have done with more volume being
added to the overall mix. Though I did enjoy the overall bleakness of
the actual album and that’s perhaps down to the production
contained on the album.
Gewapende-Magte
– carries on the bleak and heavy progressive themes of the previous
track as BISMUT offer a more jazz orientated sound. The distorted and
almost industrial delivery of the song allows the band to play a
heavier and heartfelt sound. The song takes time in fully get going
but this song perhaps contains the heaviest moments on the album.
The
final song – Czar – has a more fast-paced approach but still
maintaining the other’s tracks industrial based post-rock delivery.
The album ends on a highly satisfying conclusion with BISMUT pulling
out all of the stops in playing more complex sounding music that’s
very hard to define or categorize at times.
Schwerpunkt
is not your standard Instrumental Rock/Metal album and nor should it
be. With a high amount of instrumental rock/metal bands releasing
similar sounding albums, it’s good to hear a band releasing
something different and genuinely exciting at the same time. Overall,
Schwerpunkt is a well-made and thought-provoking album that is
perhaps suited to the more adventurous Instrumental Rock/Metal fan.
Words
by Steve Howe
Schwerpunkt
will
be available to buy on CD/DD from the band and Vinyl via Lay Bare Recordings from
November 26th
2018.
