Sail - Slumbersong (2017)
The band formerly known as Husk
delivers their first album Slumbersong under their new
moniker, Sail. These four young men combine post-rock, sludge, and
progressive metal in a way that feels energetic without being frantic,
while exploring an emotional diversity not often seen in those
genres.
Sail has a lot of tricks in their bag:
sludgy chugs, catchy melodies, progressive noodling, all the way
down to squealing high notes like the closer of a hair metal jam.
While the dominant sound of Slumbersong is sludgy riffing
alongside throaty clean vocals and cymbal-heavy drumming that will
sound familiar to fans of bands like Baroness and The Ocean, there
are moments that set Sail apart as distinct from those genre
behemoths: songs that could genuinely, shockingly be described as
ballads, and occasional major chords that counter-balance the
baseline aggression of the greater whole. It's a well paced album.
Tracks like "Shimmer" and "Ghosts" lower the
tempo and resonate with hopeful yearning, a massive change of pace
and tone from the energy of the rest of the work. The clean vocals on
these tracks and others are the weakest player here—they overreach
and sometimes take the singer out of his natural range, leading to
some unfortunate off-key moments.
Slumbersong is a bit of a
paradox. In some ways, it feels less like an album with one thing to
say than a method of showcasing the band's breadth of songwriting.
But on the other hand, the songs are stitched together in a way that
makes the whole engaging as a singular experience. While the strained
vocals hold this album back from greatness, it's an eclectic offering
from a band looking for a fresh start.
~ Chris
For Fans Of; Baroness, Torche,
Mastodon, The Ocean
~
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