At a time when heavy metal has mutated and developed into so many different forms that even the term “post-metal” feels reductive, it is difficult to slap the term for someone-separately, after metal pioneers DövheavenWhose unusual fusion of screamed songs and blasts with high, majestic guitars and soft spaces has always made them difficult to get stuck. Now 15 years into their career, the band had made a hard left in their sound with 2021’s “Infinite Granite”, who found singer George Clarke who dropped Goblin Shrire and sang in a more conventional, we dare to say alternative style. It was a dignified experiment, but actually removed one of the most important elements that made them so different, and with “lonely people with power” he is back to shreding his larynx about 90% of the time.
“Return to form” is very vibe here, and all fans of the band’s stellar trio from the 2010 album (“Sunbather”, “New Bermuda” and “ordinary corrupt human love”) will find much to love. But that does not mean that they repeat themselves: it is a more refined sound, the high structures of the guitars are more carefully designed than ever, and the softer moments are more frequent and effective. There is also more variety, with Clarke that slides in spoken passages more often and guest song from Paul Banks of Interpol and Jae Banks from Darkwave Duo Boy Harsher. Former Beck bassist Justin Meldal Johnson (Wolf Alice, Paramore, M83) is back behind the boards and weaves the instruments to a tropical cyclone for a minute and a tidal pool next. There is one of their brand -closing opuser, this one with the title “The Marvelous Orange Tree”, which is so epic on a scale that it almost feels like the soundtrack to the final scene in a movie.
Nevertheless, it is most remarkable with this band’s sound how the Whirlpool guitars and the base melt with the hyper-fast beats and Clarke’s song to a lean, uniform sound that would almost be like surrounding music if it was not so aggressive. Diving is like an ice bath that shocks at first, but then incongruously relaxing and peaceful.
