Final Days Society - Icebreaker

Wenn Sigur Rós-Soundalikes hier so gut ankommen - gestern erhielten Yucatan mit 10 Punkten die Höchstwertung von Oliver - dann lassen wir heute noch schnell eine Band namens Final Days Society folgen.

Das aus Växjö in Schweden stammende Quintett musiziert seit 2006 miteinander und besteht aus Suwat Khanh (Gesang, Bass), Pierre Olsson Kruse (Gitarre), Andreas Jeansson (Gitarre, Keyboards), Marcus Knutsson (Gitarre) sowie Anton Grundberg (Schlagzeug). 2008 und 2011 erschienen mit "Noise Passes, Silence Remains" und "Ours Is Not A Caravan Of Despair" deren ersten beiden Alben. 

Beim dieser Tage veröffentlichten und selbst produzierten "Icebreaker" hielten sie sich sowohl betreffend der Länge des Albumtitels, als auch bezüglich der Anzahl der Titel (6) zurück. Dennoch kommen Fans der eingangs erwähnten Sigur Rós oder anderer Prog-Rock- und Shoegaze-Bands (als artverwandt fallen mir zum Beispiel ihre schwedischen Landsmänner von Jeniferever ein) hier nicht zu kurz, denn allein der Titelsong läuft über 10 Minuten und beherrscht das dramatische Wechselspiel zwischen laut und leise.
Die 5,- €, die "Icebreaker" in digitaler Form (bisher keine CD oder LP) auf der Bandcamp-Seite der Band kostet, sind sehr gut investiert!

How to classify them: well, it’s a great combo of shoegaze and Postrock with lovely vocals. Some Blueneck and EF esque singing, Sigur Ros-like tunes and classic Postrock guitars creates a soothing album with nice lazy summer night tracks. Excellent stuff that just resonates while listening.

Drifter, the second track of the album, is a great example of the mentioned combinations of sound. I can’t help feeling a lot of EF vibes, but  that’s a good thing because I love that band.

Album finisher Debris has this classic Postrock build-up and is an excellent track for closing this album. These guys creat a melancholic atmosphere without the darker themes that’s so common in the genre. This album consists of mostly positive tracks full of hope. Due to the state of this world, we sure can use some of this. Congratulations to Final Days Society for this excellent album! 

(Postrocker.nl)

Fading in very gradually via “Drowner”, it establishes an ethereal ambience that’s surprisingly stirring, despite being almost silent for the first minute and a half. At this point distant vocals begin to echo across the air, giving the whole thing a dreamy feel before it builds to an epic assemblage of otherworldly instrumentation for its grand finale.

“Drifter” begins with another soft and serene introduction ahead of a slow and wistful harmony. It starts off stripped down and simple, yet manages to be deeply affecting. There’s something very celestial about it before it bursts into a plethora of reassuring guitars and percussion. Growing continuously, it ultimately arrives at an immense exhibition of instrumentation that’s incredibly powerful.

The enthusiastic and urgent riff of “Icebreaker” is met by a delighted drum beat afterwards, setting a merry mood. This persists until things tone back at the end of the second minute and distorted vocals proceed to reverberate solemnly through the senses. It eventually builds back up, uplifting and exciting as the tempo continues to rise and abate. The result is an extremely progressive piece which conjures up a lot of emotion.

“Overburdened Companions” follows with a laid-back, lackadaisical opening that saunters slowly towards a relaxing refrain. It remains reserved for the first third of its run-time, then it begins to increase in volume and momentum. The instrumental execution is consistently captivating, making for a moving listening experience.

The ominous riff that succeeds it is sobering ahead of a forceful onslaught of guitars that are unexpectedly heavy during “At Peace, At Last”. They relent later while maintaining a mellow mood, but soon erupt into another assault of ferocious fervour. A poignant harmony adds to the foreboding nature of the proceedings as it paces purposefully forward. It’s an intense offering that thrills as often as it unsettles.

“Debris” arrives next by way of a theatrical build up which keeps things tense on the approach to lamenting lyrics. There’s a strong air of reflection and regret prevalent throughout the sorrowful sound. It all pounds determinedly in the direction of a suitably grandiose climax that ends the album as ambitiously as it began.

Final Days Society’s latest creation is a dramatic and imposing undertaking, the style of which is quite spiritual. Each entry is extravagant and exhilarating, while the colossal scale of the record in its entirety is awesome in the truest sense of the word. This is a mighty musical spectacle that needs to be heard to be appreciated.

(Pure M)