Glare of the Sun are what could loosely be termed a Post Metal band, formed in Austria, featuring active or former members of Zombie Inc., Collapse 7 and Microtonner. I’ve used the term Post Metal, but to be honest the music on display here does not easily fit any specific genre (although I’ve seen the tag ‘Blackened Doom’ bandied about). It’s a slow burning start; the opening track ‘I’ features choral voices setting an eerie atmosphere which gradually builds tension before second track ‘II’ kicks in, all crunching riffs and pummelling double bass drums. The introduction of Christoph Stopper’s decidedly creepy whispered vocals however, tend to rob the song of this momentum. The vocals then switch between ravaged roar and guttural growl along with the return of the double bass drums, before the track ends with atmospheric synth tinged flourishes. Track ‘III’ begins with a funky bass/guitar riff before the introduction of the whispered vocals again, climaxing with a scorched roar.
Lyrically, the subject matter appears to reference a planet in decline and the doomed civilisation that inhabits it (does that sound familiar?). The production is crisp and clear and when it’s heavy, it’s very heavy, with a nod to Cult of Luna, but this also segues into lighter atmospheric prog-inflected moments calling to mind Russian Circles. Theia is an album full of contrasts; light versus shade, blistering heaviness versus uplifting ethereal melodies and sonic boom versus hushed silences. Glare of the Sun are masters of the quiet/loud dynamic, but herein lies my gripe with Theia, at times the over reliance on this formula becomes predictable. Track ‘VI’ and the concluding track ‘XII’, offer some respite and a surprising change of pace, the former an acoustic interlude, the latter a slow mainly acoustic number with clean vocals that gives the album an uplifting end.
In our throwaway society, it’s refreshing to hear an album that is intended to be listened to in its entirety. The majority of the songs here clock in at around six minutes with the album duration weighing in at a fidget inducing sixty six minutes. This is not for those with short attention spans who like to dip in and out. The music is intended to take the listener on a journey, an immersive experience from beginning to end. GOTS’s musicianship can’t be faulted and Stopper’s vocal dexterity is impressive, switching between clean, growl, roar and whisper over the course of the album. I wasn’t sure what to expect with Theia; I was taken on an aural journey, traversing the scenic route via B roads, veering sporadically off road. It’s a somewhat entertaining excursion, featuring equal parts thundering heaviness and sweeping melodies, but occasionally putting the throttle down and burning into the fast lane. It’s a varied, heavy, convoluted and at times enjoyable musical journey that may be worth investing in.
(6/10 James Jackson)
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