Caretaker - Providence

Caretaker - Providence
Genre: Metal/Progressive
Rating: 10/10

2011 has been an absolutely sterling year for music. Whilst you could be forgiven for thinking that the best albums of the year have already been and gone Caretaker couldn't help but muddy the water and make choosing your own personal favourite that much harder by releasing Providence. Caretaker already burst back into life when they released their split EP with Undersmile earlier this year which in itself was a triumphant return but not content with leaving it there the Oxford trio have set about a limited pre release of Providence, the bands first LP since 2001's self titled mini album debut.

Over this long period of time Caretaker have overhauled their sound so much their current slick post-metal style bares only the slightest resemblance to their previous material. Whilst this may alarm the bands oldest of fans it really is not to the bands detriment that they've made such big changes. The current sound is a vibrant mix of serene reverb drenched soundscapes and more crushing angular riffs with angsty blood curdling screams layered on top for good measure with the occasional melodic respite thrown in here and there. The most obvious point of comparison is probably with Post-Metal's founding fathers ISIS and Neurosis but the music here is still wholly original and avoids being derivative. The real strengthof the record is the balancing act of these two opposite ends of the spectrum. The soft bits are beautifully sparse and airy but the low down dirge of the underpinned bass and primordial oozing riffs are never far away which gives the echoey segments a feel of foreboding doom making Providence the bands darkest offering to date by miles. The real strength is that whilst each segment of the song may not be overly complicated the elements are tempered together with such clarity the results are utterly evocative . The whole affair is rather hypnotic and grabs you from the very beginning only allowing you to get comfortable just long enough to rip away the false sense of security they've gifted to you. Highlights come thick and fast throughout and include "What We Have We Hold" which constantly shifts between sparse instrumental passages and harsh riffs as it slowly builds levelling your ears as it comes full circle. Other highlights like "Martinet", with its chugging sludgey riffs which stop only to creep back in slower and more jarring than before, and the hauntingly sparse title track "Providence" just add to the seemingly infinite charm of the record. The only downside to Providence is that it took 10 years to see the light of day and whilst definitely worth the wait it doesn't feel like it lasts quite long enough. That being said it's always better to end too soon than to last too long, at least where music is concerned.

Overall Providence is nothing short of a glorious rebirth for Caretaker showcasing a great amount of skill and vision. Not only is the music interesting and engaging but it is brilliantly original. A late entry for album of the year and an album I would highly recommend.

Download: "What We Have We Hold" "Martinet"

Sleepstream - A Waltz With The Seventh Crane

Sleepstream - A Waltz With The Seventh Crane
Genre: Post Rock/Progressive Rock
Rating: 7.5/10

Sleepstream are a quintet from Greece who formed back in 2008. After several different complications and line up changes the band have finally pulled together and released their debut LP this year on Fluttery records, a label that predominantly focuses on ambient/experimental/post rock artists. Whilst post rock is a fairly saturated scene that seems to continually be expanding with new acts springing up from all over the world Sleepstream are actually quite unique. The main aspect of their sound that seperates these greeks from the herd of faceless nameless clones is their uncanny ability to mix the ambient serene aspects of post rock with more hard hitting prog rock.

Whilst many post rock bands continually strive to create grand epics worthy of Sigur Ros Sleepstream steer themselves away from the constant overuse of reverb and tremolo picking that has become common place. Whilst these factors are still undeniably within their music the band seem less inclined to focus on pure ambience and sometimes classical chugging rock guitars intersperse themselves in amongst the airy melodies. Whilst this seems like such a simple thing to do it really works well here with giving most of the album a sombre yet occasionally visceral tone similar to Swedish gothic metal masters Katatonia. The imagery is bleak and the two tracks with singing are fairly gloomy affairs and throughout the record extra depth is added with dramatic flourishes of violins. The standard practices of post rock at times seem a million miles away and whilst the record could do with more singing in my opinion the instrumentals normally have enough punch and personality to avoid falling on deaf ears. The mixture of soft melodic passages and more frenetic riffing makes the album have a more directed feel rather than just a mix of random melodies and the overall flow is very pleasing. Highlights include the powerful "The Spirit" and title track "A Waltz With The Seventh Crane" both of which ebb and flow building to some powerful guitarwork and simple yet sombre violins that really tugs at the heartstrings. The only downside to the whole album is the lack of vocals which only make a brief appearance on a couple of tracks which could serve to give the band a slightly more unique sound and identity.

Overall A Waltz With The Seventh Crane is a powerful debut effort. Whilst it may not be a perfect record and may sometimes feel a little ambiguous it still an interesting listen for the most part and definitely worth giving a spin or two. Recommended.

Download: "A Waltz With The Seventh Crane" "The Spirit"