ALBUMS


IndigoRaven Lookingfor Transcendence


Onthisdebut,Toulouse-basedIndigo Ravenpresentamoderntakeondoom metal.Althoughclearlyinfluencedbythe so-calledPeacevilleThreeofParadise Lost,MyDyingBrideandAnathema, IndigoRavenalsoput theirowntwiston things.


OurSacredSoilopenswithchantingand tribaldrumming,meldingNative Americansongscapes,Sami joikinganda paganceremonybeforebreakinginto downtuned,heavy-as-hell,glaciallyslow guitarriffage.Theheavinesscontinues withPalinGenesisandSmall-hearted& Blind.TheWhiteKnightSyndromeand NightshadeWindsaddgothmajestic, recallingFieldsof theNephilimat their slowestandheaviest.WhereLiesOur HeartandIntoDust takethingsina differentdirection.Theformerisana cappellareminiscentofLisaGerrardwith LeMystèredesVoixBulgares, thelattera surprisinglyfaithful–ifheavy-MazzyStar cover.


JulieDocteur’svocalsrangefromdeep anddarktomajesticandsoaring.Jean Green’sbassislowdownanddirty.Benoît Sangoï’sguitarshaveall theusualdoom stylings,withagooddoseofSunn0)))and Amenra.Theonlycriticismisthat the drumming–alsobySangoï–canbeatad pedestrian.


Athoroughlylistenable,contemporary takeondoom, fansofdark,heavymusic shouldgivethisaspin.


48 / OCT-NOV 2021 / OUTLINEONLINE.CO.UK 8/10Pavlis


Villagers FeverDreams


IrishsongwriterConorO'Brienreturns withhisfiſthstudioalbumunder the Villagersname,andhisfirstsince'TheArt ofPretendingtoSwim' in2018.O'Brien's workhasoſtbeencomparedwithBright Eyes,anditwasatLatitudein2011 that VillagersandBrightEyeseachperformed aset,andIhadthechancetocompare andcontrastfirst-hand. I instantly becameafanofboth.


Villagersfirst twoalbumseachreceived MercuryPrizenominations,andO'Brien alsocollectedanIvorNovelloAwardin both2011and2016.Hissongsareknown foropenandhonestexplorationsof love andrelationships,andFeverDreams followstruewithawistfulcontinuationof thesethemes,but twinnedwitha euphoricsenseof freedomandescape.


Twosingleshavealreadybeenreleased– 'TheFirstDay',anevocativecelebration ofhumanconnection,and'SoSympatico' whichis,quitesimply, themostbeautiful lovesongthat Ihaveheardthisyear.


DevoteesofVillagerswill fall forFever Dreamsjustasmuchaspreviousreleases – theusualquirksandeccentricitiesare there,but thistimearoundthereisa floaty,orchestratedlightnessreminiscent ofFlamingLips,MercuryRev,andeven PrefabSprout.


9/10DavidAuckland


DeadReynolds Breathewith Strangers


Aſtersometimespentexploring themselves(DeadReynolds), itseems they’vefoundtheirsignaturesound,and they’vehit thatsweetspotofcreativity whereeverythingjust fallsintoplace.


There’ssuchavarietyonshowhere, varyingfromchilledoutacoustic, tofull on“moshpit”andit’sglorious. Iwas genuinelytakenabackbyjusthowgood thisalbumwas, infact Iwouldlikenit to theSpanishInquisition(MontyPython reference, ifyouknow,youknow….). Aboveall though, there’snononsenseor compromise, itdoeswhat itdoes effortlessly,andjustbegstobelistenedto.


Thereisalotof talent that justslips throughunder theradar,becauseweare spoon-fedwhat’s“trending” rightnow.We shouldall takealookatwhat’sgoingonin theundergroundscenenowandthen, becausethelocalbandyouseeinaseedy clubtoday,maywellbetheFooFighters of tomorrow….


10/10JonSeymour


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