Atmosphere can make or break an album. It provides the backdrop and can effectively dictate the direction of individual songs as well as the record as a whole. For bands that create uncompromising walls of sound, finely crafting this atmosphere is of utmost importance in order to make a profound musical statement that not only carries sonic weight but also emotional significance.
Melting The Ice In The Hearts Of Men (Ván Records), the fourth album from Our Survival Depends On Us, was forged in the mountains of Switzerland where the band imposed isolation upon themselves to focus on crafting introspective pieces. The epic nature of both the album’s compositions (all four songs run over ten minutes) and atmosphere cannot be understated: it feels like you are lost in those same mountains, surrounded by snow and left alone with just your thoughts for the forty-five-minute duration of the record.
The most effective way describe each track is to look at them as paintings: layers are built up throughout the songs, textures are implemented in a variety of interesting ways and you have to consciously take a step back in order to be able to comprehend the complete picture.
‘Galahad’ opens the album with ancient chants seemingly accompanying us through a windswept path with the sound of chains hanging in the air. This sets the stage up for a truly musically intricate album: a variety of different genres are implemented to create a powerful wall of sound that takes the listener on a very introspective journey.
Every track brings something new to the table in terms of musicality: ‘Gold And Silver’ gives us a Blues-tinged guitar solo coupled with monstrous riffs reminiscent of Doom Metal, ‘Song Of The Lower Classes’ brings us some stunning orchestration which reinforces the powerful emotions of desperation portrayed throughout the song and the instrumental ‘Sky Burial’ brings all these elements together whilst adding desolate choral chants, tribal drumming, and cleverly interwoven environmental sounds.
Although there are many busy musically-dense moments within the album, the use of silence in this record truly puts the emotion centre stage. In ‘Gold And Silver’, alone straining vocal brilliantly paints the very human emotion portrayed in the record and in ‘Song Of The Lower Classes’, a very upfront, almost-unprocessed, vocal takes the lead towards the end of the song with only some light instrumentation decorating the way. This lack of overproduction on the vocals allows them to convey real and unfiltered emotions.
The wall of sound created really allows for the listener to dive into this record – a mountain range of sounds is explored throughout all four tracks and the slight twists and turns placed throughout add more scenery and colour to the record making it an immerse experience.
Melting The Ice In The Hearts Of Men takes you on a journey through a sonic mountain range whose path will need to be revisited time and time again to fully grasp the epic compositions contained within.
7 / 10
CALUM FARQUHAR