A lot of people have the very
mistaken perception that metal is ugly, abrasive, brutish music with no
redeeming qualities. They often wonder how others can stand to listen to it.
This is very unfortunate, because they miss out on releases like this one, and
so many more, that use heaviness as a way to open the pathway to beauty. This
is the kind of album that one can put on after a bad day, and despite being
heavy, despite being doom, it is uplifting and meditative anda complete mood changer. Hey, I know, I've
used it that way, and it really works.
Ever Circling Wolves come
to us from Finland,
courtesy of a fantastic smaller label called Cimmerian Shade Recordings.
I've followed this label for a while now and they have a knack for finding some
incredible music in out of the way places all over the world. The owner of the
label has a unique ear and definitely knows what he is seeking out and I would
encourage you to not only check out this band but the label as well.
Getting back to the band, this
is very unique blend of styles. The overall feeling is doom, but there is some
black metal and a good deal of what I hear people refer to as “post” stuff,
whatever that means. I've never quite gotten the concept but a lot of what I
like and listen to seems to be “post” this or that, according to others. The
thing that really speaks to me in this music is that the band is not afraid of
melody. Using a repetitive melody is a very beautiful thing to me, and it
allows the listener to really focus on the music and as I mentioned earlier,
almost meditate on the world around you.I've mentioned it before but music like this helps guide you to things
in the world around you that you might not otherwise be aware of, and that is a
very cool thing to me.
The songs are very well crafted
and most of them clock in at over eight minutes. This is not an album for those
with short attention spans, but rather for those who want to experience the music
to which they listen. Some of these songs almost feel as though they have
distinct movements and flow from heavy doom thunder to much lighter passages
with a delicate ease that is surprising for a band in this genre. This is a
band that doesn't shy away from letting the music breathe and be what it wants
to be. There is no feeling that “we are a heavy band so these songs must be
gloomy and depressing”. I highly recommend this album to anyone who loves heavy
music and is curious to see how a band can expand the boundaries of the genre.
Make special notice of the final
track, a fifteen minute masterpiece that you hope will never end called “These
Are Ashes, These Are Roots”. The final four or five minutes are just golden
moments, as they build and build with a repetitive melody in a perfect example
of how a band can use this idea to really move the listener. This is gorgeous
music, and yes, that is possible in metal. You just have to be open minded
enough to accept that possibility, and when this is your reward, you'd be a
fool not to.
-ODIN