Pyreship - Light Is A Barrier (Album Review)

Release Date: April 22nd 2022. Record Label: Self Released. Format: DD

Light Is A Barrier - Tracklisting

Broken Spire

Anathema

Half Light

Forest Of Spears

Highborn

Members

Steve Smith - Drums

George Lusito - Bass

Jenny Jordan - Vocals

Sam Waters - Guitar/Vocals

Cru Jordan Jones - Guitar/Vocals

Review

Pyreship return with their first new album in five years with Light Is A Barrier and it's quite different to their debut album. Firstly, the band has added a new member since then with Jenny Jordan being added as second main vocalist. The grungy aspect heard on their last album is still here but it's mostly in the distance with Pyreship playing a more emotional Doom, Sludge and Post-Metal sound. Jenny's vocals are quite nuanced when they first appear but they do become heavier and Jenny can sure "SCREAM" with the best of them.

The five songs on the album are quite different to each other and Pyreship do draw influence from bands such as Pelican, Ken Mode, Neurosis and Kowloon Walled City but remaining true to their own creative themes and beliefs. Heavy sludgy guitars collide with Psychedelic tendencies with echoes of Post-Rock and Noise Rock for a more realistic sound. 

Opening song Broken Spire is a dazzling mix of different sounds whilst being quite true to life. The music is slowly played and when the faster riffs appear Jenny's vocals SOAR above the heavy grooves that become one of the best parts of the album. However, the other vocals from Sam and Cru are excellent as well. The post-metallic sensibility of the song remains true throughout this album. 

The songs are quite progressive and have a "real life" feel to them though Pyreship did this superbly well on their debut album. The industrial flow of the album truly comes into focus on the songs  Anathema and Half Light though still merging Post-Doom and Sludge Metal sensibilities that can be quite distorted at times. The music can be cold and calculating but Pyreship levels things off with uplifting moments of Post-Metal brilliance.

The standout tracks on the album for me are the final two tracks of Forest Of Spears and Highborn with Pyreship excelling the most on these tracks. Post-Metal and Gloomy Psychedelic sounds bring a fine style of Dark Progressive Rock/Metal with Pyreship still keeping to the uplifting momentum of the album's earlier tracks. 

Adding Jenny as a new member to the band was an inspired choice. and she's the real "heart & soul" on the early stages of this album. However, Light Is A Barrier is a true team effort with everyone putting in wonderful performances on this album. 

The album may have been a long time coming but if you want to hear a Doom Metal/Post-Metal album with real emotional depth then Pyreship have delivered the goods with this release. 

Light Is A Barrier is a must-have album. So add this to your collection as soon as you can. You won't be sorry.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to C Squared Music for the promo. Light Is A Barrier will be available to buy on DD from April 22nd 2022.

Links

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Forming The Void / Pyreship (EP Review)

Release date: 09^th March 2018. Label: Endhipendit Record Co. Format: DD/Vinyl

Forming The Void/Pyreship – Tracklisting

1.Forming The Void - To the Wolves 06:20

2.Pyreship - Wraith's Tide 09:02

Forming The Void - Members

James Marshall – guitar/vocals

Shadi Omar Al-Khansa- guitar

Luke Baker – bass

Thomas Colley - drums

Pyreship - Members

Sam - Guitar and Vocals

J - Guitar and Vocals

George - Bass

Steve - Drums

Review

Two of my favourite bands that I discovered in 2017 have teamed up for this superb joint release. On one side you have Sludge/Stoner Rockers – Forming The Void and on the other you have Doom/Post-Metallers – Pyreship. Both bands released acclaimed albums in 2017 and I was quite excited to see what the band have in store for this joint record.

Forming The Void’s song lasts more than 6 minutes of Psych Sludge/Stoner grooves but with a more soulful blues vibe compared to the songs on 2017’s Relic. The song still has the familiar hallmarks that made Relic one of the best albums of last year. It’s dramatically heavy with a great vocal performance from James Marshall. James opts for a more grunge style of vocals for this performance. The music is heavy with the rest of the band creating a doomy psychedelic atmosphere. A very good song and shows that Forming The Void are continuing the good work they created with Relic.

Pyreship’s song opens with a dramatic monologue which is the same method they used on their debut album which was released last year. The mood is quite serious and political in places but I wouldn’t have it any other with from Pyreship. The music is very much in the realm of Atmospheric Doom/Sludge Metal with the band taking influence from artists such ISIS (The Band) and Russian Circles to a certain point. The song does take a few moments to fully get going but when it does Pyreship play a heavy cocktail of progressive Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal sounds.

It ‘s good to see that both bands offer different contrasts and styles of music to each other. This record is an essential listen and offers a brief glimpse in how Forming The Void and Pyreship will sound like in the near future. As both bands will be releasing new albums in 2018. Until then enjoy this superb sounding collaboration and play it LOUD AS YOU CAN!!!!

Words by Steve Howe

Forming The Void Links:

Facebook | BandCamp| Twitter

Pyreship Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp

Pyreship - The Liars Bend Low (Album Review)

Release date: May 28th 2017. Label: Black Bow Records. Format: DD/Vinyl

The Liars Bend Low – Tracklisting

1.Gravity 07:22

2.Machine Men 06:58

3.When Leaves Turn To Blood 06:15

4.Die-Sect 07:54

5.... Are We Dead yet? 06:46

Band Members:

Sam - Guitar and Vocals

Jason - Guitar and Vocals

George - Bass

Steve - Drums

Review

Pyreship's blend of music incorporates elements of Noise, Grunge, Sludge, Stoner, Psych and Doom that shows their own highly original take on Hard Rock/Metal. Their debut album - The Liars Bend Low - is an album containing a deep political message throughout especially on the epic second track - Machine Men. Though I'm jumping ahead of myself.

Opening track - Gravity - opens with a distorted psychedelic sound before a grunge style atmosphere opens up the album up to heavier sounds and cool vocals. The song becomes heavier with Pyreship now starting to play their heavy hybrid sound that stretches across the different musical boundaries contained throughout the album. A distinctive sludge/noise groove fills the doom based atmosphere but with an uplifting vibe that appears at different parts of the song. The song takes a heavier route around the half way mark and Pyreship proves they are no pushovers in the volume departments. As this album has the perfect balance within the loud VS quiet style moments on the entire album.

Second track - Machine Men - is a deeply haunting song that comments on the political surroundings currently going on around the globe. Splicing the classic speech from Charlie Chaplin classic film - The Great Dictator - and merging it with heavy sludge, doom and psychedelic stoner grooves is a work of genius. Sure I've heard this speech before merged with the theme tune from Christopher Nolan film - Inception. I have to say Pyreship's take on that speech is the more dynamic and genuinely exciting as they write hard-hitting social lyrics and riffs that pack an emotional punch.

The production on the album is excellent as the whole tone and sound of the album is always constantly evolving to match the mood for the individual songs held on the album.

Third track - When Leaves Turns To Blood - is another sombre affair that sees the band aligns themselves to the world of classic nineties sounding Grunge/Noise Rock with a haunting modern gloomier atmosphere. The vocals are more restrained with on this song compared to the other tracks. It allows Pyreship to focus more on their music as the overall feel of the album becomes louder and more chaotic.

The final two tracks Die-Sect and … Are We Dead Yet - offer two more final rounds of doom and gloom sounding distorted riffs with bleak topical themes that you cannot ignore. On the last song Pyreship show deep understanding of the current political climate happening around the world with their choice of soundclips that they use against their own music.

Pyreship is perhaps one of the most exciting bands I've heard in years and they have delivered the goods with The Liars Bend Low. As this is a COLOSSAL album in every sense of the word.

Words by Steve Howe

USA Customers can buy vinyl here from the band directly

European Customers can buy vinyl here via Black Bow Records.

Links:

Official | Facebook | BandCamp