Post-black. Haunting, effective soundscapes littered with mellow, icicle-shattering chords. As with other branches of this oft histrionic genre however, there are myriad instrumental offerings which, for those of us who like to hear the plaintive, diseased roar of unadulterated anguish, can veer toward mundanity. This debut long-player from Californian tortured souls Suffering in Solitude is no different.
A Place Apart (Domestic Genocide Records), released as the last post sounded over 2013, has been four years in the making, and that there’s much beauty and violence within it is beyond dispute. The occasionally mournful ‘Inside Out’ evokes lonely winter streets, while the hissing, more uptempo crash of ‘Entrance’ isn’t without its pensive moments and emits the kind of swelling, aching melodies that pierce the soul. Each fresh encounter with this beguiling set does indeed reveal more that will inspire and elicit wistful memories in every listener, and where Christopher A‘s harrowing scream is employed, such as the sprawling, shimmering riff and blastbeat-infused ‘Exit (Time Lost)’, agony envelops the constantly fluctuating pace. The blend of the two styles can rarely have seen a more accurate depiction of its definition. The eponymous track sees the bitter yet plaintive ragings of Touché Amore lie with the stark harmonies of Tides From Nebula and the frost-bitten atmospherics of Darkthrone as the perfect ménage-a-trois. For all the furious howls however, there’s something missing: an intermittent lack of intensity throwing more shapes toward a schizophrenic breakdown than a paean to heart-breaking loss. As a result an element of pretension occasionally infects the set, with the nefarious rasping rattle oozing over the initial Britpop style jangling of closer ‘Placed Apart’ conveying more contrivance than true emotion.
Overall, however, this is a pleasing listen; a likely contender for raids by BBC trailer makers and Scandinavian dramas for its stirring, sometimes moving interludes. With six tracks stretched over less than half an hour, it doesn’t outstay its welcome either. For those of us who like to feel others’ pain as well as our own whilst indulging in a tune, there’s definite promise in the offing from these guys.
7/10
Suffering In Solitude on Facebook
Paul Quinn