Manchester post Black Metal band Agvirre will be releasing a new album on the 28th of January.
Lachryma Christi had reviewed their EP Silence in 2020, and this album _ _ _ _ _ _ (pronounced as "Hidden") is somewhat different.
There is still the mental struggle in this release, but not as noticeable as on Silence, in my opinion. Silence was about mental illness, how it is experienced and felt, while _ _ _ _ _ _ is about how the mental illness manifests and feels in a more social and every day life context. How it feels with all the general society problems that we sometimes face. With pandemics and all the confinements the whole world has been through, as well as all the divisions that all this situation brought us, for sure many people will relate to this album.
However, I found less struggle and more beauty in this album, than I did in Silence. I feel more the "everything will be alright in the end", than I actually feel the anxiety and difficult situation, when I listen to this album. And I think that is a good thing too.
What can you expect in terms of music? Well, _ _ _ _ _ _ has three tracks, and my favourite might actually be the first one, Urtica in Glass. It starts with conversation / conflict, passing to the more calm shoegaze kind of music (I am sorry, I hate this word "shoegaze", but had to use it, because that's what it is), and when you think the whole song will be like this, it suddenly turns into a very unexpected melodic and also aggressive Black Metal. I was quite surprised at this, and also pleased at the whole thing. I still am, after listening to it a few times. Each time brings me that same exact feeling of "how great is this?".
Second track is more quiet, shorter, and funnily enough, maybe it is the one that brings the sense of confusion and anxiety up more clearly.
Third track is as furious and angry and dragged as the first one. As full of thought and feel.
It all sounds so very well coordinated and performed, and you may expect some instrument I believe it is trumpet. Do you remember when Necromantia came up with saxophone, many years ago? I had exactly the same feeling when I heard the trumpet in Agvirre. A completely "wow" feeling. It is really a good mix, sounds really good with the fast and angry music and desperate voice. The voice is something. So raw and sad and full of pain.
The whole album is fantastic. _ _ _ _ _ _ is very introspective, emotional, sad at times, angry most of the times, and like a cry for help in many other times.
It is beautiful. Indeed.
And look at that cover art! How beautiful. It is by Dafydd Jones at Back Down Design.
I don't usually mention these details, but since I started, let me finish:
_ _ _ _ _ _ was recorded, engineered and mixed by Joe Clayton at No Studio, Manchester.
Mastered by Magnus Lindberg at VRTKL Audio.
Brass arranged and performed by The River Versus
Tracklist for _ _ _ _ _ _:
1. Urtica In Glass (10:03)
2. _ _ _ _ _ _ (In Plain Sight) (3:39)
3. For El Dorado, Whenever I May Find You (9:01)
Lineup for Agvirre:
Badger - Drums and percussion
Dave - Bass
Frenchie - Vocals, synths, electronics and percussion
Ricardo - Guitar and backing vocals
Aaron, Alec and Jimmy (The River Versus) - Trumpets
Read more about Agvirre in:
No comments:
Post a Comment