Release Date: October 25th 2024. Record Label: Haywire Records. Format: Cassette/CD/DD/Vinyl
Spectres At Dawn - Track Listing:
1.To No Avail
2.'87 via '94
3.Mano Cornetto
4.Thrill Estate
5.Sheryl Low
6.Use the Excessive Force
Members
Alexandru Wehry - guitar
Casian Stanciu - guitar, E-Bow
Mihai Guta - bass
Flavius Retea - drums, percussion, keyboards
Review
Spectres At Dawn is the sixth album from Romanian Post-Rock Heavyweights Methadone Skies who also celebrate their fifteenth anniversary as a band with this huge sounding release. This is perhaps weighing more into their Post-Metal persona than the earlier surroundings of Post-Rock the band first made their names with. Though, the band never forgets their roots with a mix of Psych Rock, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal and Progressive Rock themes allowing this to be Methadone Skies most expressive and heaviest album to date.
The album captures all the standout instrumental sounds that have made Methadone Skies one of the most interesting Instrumental Post-Rock bands within the underground scene. They never release the same album twice with the band trying new areas of music with each passing release and Spectres At Dawn is no different. The sound is always progressive and quite deceptive with the different amounts of instrumental rock/metal that the band employs here.
Opening track To No Avail is a collection of heavy progressive jams told through areas of Post-Rock, Post-Metal and Psych Rock with a thrilling Doom/Stoner perspective allowing Methadone Skies to weave a cinematic style of storytelling which is used throughout the whole album. Areas of Ambient Rock, Space Rock and heavier Sludge Rock guitars allows a menacing METALLIC presence to appear in the least unexpected places but gives another level of heaviness when you least expect it.
The next two tracks ‘87 via 94 and Mano Cornetto expands that style of Cinematic Post-Rock further with a haunting Ambient score with Methadone going full-on HEAVY METAL with gloomier soundscapes being quite cathartic at times. Shades of Russian Circles and Pelican can be heard but with Methadone Skies being more STONER obsessed which once again sees the band create highly original instrumental music of their own making especially on tracks Mano Cornetto, Thrill Estate and Use The Excessive Force.
The second half of the album becomes quite GROOVE orientated with Methadone Skies also operating with a more expressive style of Progressive Metal with stunning Spaced Out textures keeping everything real and grounded. There’s a hidden aspect of Droned Out Rock which allows Methadone Skies to play with an air of mysticism to their overall sound.
Methadone Skies have delivered the goods yet again with Spectres At Dawn being their most emotionally rewarding and brilliantly entertaining record to date.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Sheltered Life for the promo.
Spetres At Dawn will be available to buy on Cassette/CD/DD/Vinyl via Haywire Records from Friday 01st November 2024.
Links
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