Two EPs with two songs each running round about 20 minutes and both EPs are exceptionally good. Outlander are a Post-Rock band from the UK and White Ward are a Post-Black Metal band from the Ukraine.
But there are more similarities between those releases. The first track shows some kind of departure from the band known sound, while the second track shows what brought you to those bands in the first place.
| Band: Outlander | |
| Album: Sundowning / Unconditional EP | |
| Genre: Post-Rock | |
| Country: UK | |
| Release Date: 25th of June, 2021 | |
| Released via Church Road Records | |
| Cover Artwork © Church Road Records |
Outlander play very captivating atmospheric Post-Metal. The first album Valium Machine was a late discovery for me, but after that I dove deep into their discography and got lost in it (in a positive way).
The first track “Sundowning” begins in an odd fashion for that band, very whirry sounding guitars combined with echoing vocals. The tempo is quite fast for a band like this and one could get the impression that this song is over after three or four minutes. But in the middle of the track it collapses and starts anew as a slow Post-Metal-song slowly drifting off into the sunset (that’s at least the impression I get). This second half could last forever and I wouldn’t be bored a second.
“Unconditional” is a big contrast to the first track. A very sludgy, slow song, with heavy riffs. While the first song was kind of relaxing and almost uplifting, this song holds you down. It is very monochrome so to say, it is a fitting aural representation of the album cover.
Outlander‘s blend of Post-Rock is as meditative as it is captive. This is Post-Rock as good as it can get without the use of the typical crescendos that can be heard everywhere else. This is an outstanding EP that mustn’t be missed by any Post-Rock fan.
| Band: White Ward | |
| Album: Debemur Morti EP | |
| Genre: Post-Black-Metal | |
| Country: Ukraine | |
| Release Date: 25th of June, 2021 | |
| Released via Debemur Morti Records | |
| Cover Artwork © Debemur Morti Records |
Love Exchange Failure, the last full-length by White Ward, was recommended to me by a fellow blog colleague at the end of 2019. White Ward totally flew under my radar although they combine two thing I like very much: Jazz in the vein of Bohren & der Club of Gore and Post-Black Metal as a genre.
When I heard that they found a new “home” in Debemur Morti Records and would release a new EP to celebrate the 200th release of this label, I was pumped.
The EP kicks off with the title track in a typical White Ward fashion: slow build up, saxophones and then full-on-Black-Metal onslaught. The production and sound remind me more of Futility Report than Love Exchange Failure: more punch and darker. But in the middle of the song, sudden clean vocals appear, done by Lars Nedland (BORKNAGAR / SOLEFALD). Adding these vocals just lifts the song to a whole other level, they fit so well and add so much more dynamic to it. A big surprise and a great song, to start this new era of White Ward.
“Embers” is a slow burning song which gets to full pace around the middle. After the big surprise of the first song, this feels like a song that could have been on Love Exchange Failure (which is not a bad thing).
White Ward start this new label-relationship with a banger of an EP. If you never heard of them, this is a good starting point. Debemur Morti showcases the uniqueness of this band and is a must for any Post-Black-Metal fan.
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