Release Date: April 19th 2024. Record Label: Cooper Feast Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Those We Knew - Tracklisting
1.Tell Me Something
2.Red Rose
3.Blood of My Blood
4.Interlude II
5.Shores
6.Gift of Eyes
Members
Alves Guiter: vocals, guitar
Renaud Fumey-Seguy: guitar, backing vocals
Basile Chevalier: bass
Theo Giotti "Atc De Giotto": drums
Review
Those We Knew is the sophomore album from Grunge/Post-Metal/Prog Metallers Homecoming who bring a dirge-ridden 90’s Alt-Rock sound to their album. Mixing different themes, genres and sounds can be quite complicated at times but Homecoming seem to have found a winning formula that keeps their music grounded in reality even with a few ventures into Spaced Out and Psychedelic textures.
Using the creative template similar to bands such as Alice In Chains, TOOL, Mastodon and Cult Of Luna, this record never feels like a copycat record but a band striving for their own identity and sound which they succeed at every turn within this great album.
The record can be harsh and unforgiving but also offers moments of blissful Post-Rock melodies which you can feel through the constant punishing beats of the excellent opening track of Tell Me Something. The grungy atmospherics soon changes into a more volatile and heavier Progressive movement with outbursts of aggressive Sludge beats before a chugging Thrash Metal drum line appears which allows the vocals from Théo to be quite aggressive and direct with superb backup vocals provided by Renaud.
Second Song Red Rose opens with a Mastodon-esque inspired riff melody that soon changes melody and direction for a powerful 90’s Alt Metal/Grunge aesthetic with the fast-paced instrumental sounds being deft and superbly progressive. The song is quite contemporary and solitary within the mellow confinements of the sullen creative attitude which Homecoming employs on this track alone. The “Post-Whatever'' dynamic is perhaps the most dominant theme on this song but there’s some exquisite heart-warming vocals which soon changes to the more violent sludgy atmospherics that Homecoming uses more and more on the remainder of the album.
Third song Blood Of My Mind opens with a more heartfelt instrumental and acoustic guitar which perhaps draws upon the Gloom & Doom world with a lush Psychedelic sound that has a classic 2000’s Alt-Metal attitude which becomes quite modern when Homecoming adding a thuggish Progressive melody and spiky Stoner Metal jams. The vocals are quite warm-hearted despite the aggressive nature of the track. The later parts become quite Post-Rock orientated with some flashy Jazzy sounds before ending with a thrilling Post-Metal battle with some of the heaviest and frenzied grooves on the whole album.
The second half of the album sees Homecoming a bit more experimental and dynamic with their music with more reliance on Ambient rhythms and Post-Rock soundscapes fully immersing with the Grunge, Doom, Sludge and Post-Metal environments they played within the first half of the album.
Standout tracks to check out are Interlude II and the sublime final track Gift Of Eyes. Homecoming find more creative strength with the complex melodies they have composed for these tracks alone and deliver a truly satisfying listening experience. The record has a non-stop supply of first rate Progressive grooves which should allow Homecoming to become more known within the underground Metal community.
Those We Know has wonderfully observed production values that shows the many different musical sides to Homecoming they play throughout this album. Homecoming are quite a brilliant and technically minded band where this record allows them to prove this time and time again which is mainly down to the multitude of different musical styles they deliver on this record alone.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Shake Promotion for the promo.
Those We Knew will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Copper Feast Records from April 19th 2024.
Links
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