Labels: Denovali – Exo
Review by: Alex Deller
A right mixed bag from these instrumental Aussies and make no mistake: the initial DUM-DOM-KSHHHHH; DUM-DOM-KSHHHHHH of opener “Plague Asphyx” is a welcome statement of intent, showcasing a fondness for early Godflesh that seems to be missing from so many of today’s “Australasia”-aping post-metallers. By the time we hit the ten-minute “Mockery” however, things start to pretty up some with a somewhat standard array of tinkling arpeggios and wibbly guitar FX killing that initial buzz with a perhaps-inevitable descent into dreary post-rock fuzzy-wuzzies. This trade-off pretty much sets the tone for the rest of the album, with periods of glowering mechanical churn and groaning repetition pitted against doses of prettified U2 guitar meh that compete ably if ineffectively with a gazillion or so EITS clones who’re content enough to chase their own tails rather than think up anything fresh. Thankfully the scales are tipped towards the band’s burdened, machine-like pulse, making “Alchera” a more welcome excursion into these kind of waters than most, but it remains to be seen whether the band heavy up and emphasise this side of their sound in the future or simply take the safer, tamer route and go out to post-metal pasture.