Apparently this key opens the door to a magical place, one where princesses and romance are mentioned as well as witches and talking animals. If that sounds a bit Grimm to you it is because it is meant to but if you are worrying about pompous fairytale metal let me fill you in on some of this groups finer details. Old Silver Key is a collaboration and one that should really have been announced with great fanfare. The two parties involved are both very well known in underground metal circles and see the mighty workaholic Ukrainian group Drudkh providing the instrumentation and the equally busy Neige of Alcest etc the vocals. Apparently Roman Sayenko the reclusive muse of Drudkh want to explore the progressive territories highlighted on ‘Handful Of Stars’ but with a different band; does this perhaps mean a bit of a return for the next Drudkh album? After hooking up with Neige the rest of the group all decided they were in on it too and created this album. I guess that is about it as far as background information is concerned as it is unlikely that Roman is going to be doing any interviews on the subject.
Still that leaves us with the music itself and mighty fine it is too. My problem on the first few listens was that although the sound of Alcest was entirely evident I was not finding a huge amount of Drudkh behind things. This has somewhat changed on further listens but still I think it is the Ukrainian’s that have worked at changing their style whilst it is business as usual for Neige. We start with what sounds like a ticking clock as the imaginatively entitled ‘What Once Was Will Never Happen Again’ draws us into this magical world. The instrumentation comes in as ‘November Nights Insomnia’ opens up with a melody that sounds post-punk / gothic at first to my ears. Neige joins in obviously with clean vocals and the harmony behind it all starts to work its magic and spellbind the listener. Roman and Thurios twin guitars shine and glisten and Vlad’s drumming keeps the beat with occasional snare hits clashing and jumping out the mix. Although there are blackened nuances identifiable as songs gallop off momentarily in flight, musically this is much more in the realm of post rock something that apparently Drudkh reluctantly admit.
Mournful keyboard and acoustic guitars take us into ‘Cold Spring’, there is a bass line quietly in the back reminiscent of New Order and as Neige’s vocals are allowed to take centre stage I am somewhat reminded of Tears For Fears. I guess everyone is going to hear their own blast from the past within this (hell some of the guitar work reminds me of Thatcher On Acid but I doubt anyone else remembers them). What really works are the melodies and harmony running through the songs, as this one builds and flexes its muscles it eventually rises to deliver a solid drumming bombast and hard hitting rhythm that is gloriously rich in scope. After being literally mesmerised by this it is thundering drums that meet the listener as the album moves into ‘Nineteen Winters Far Away.’ The band are allowed space to jam away with jangling guitar work really hitting the rafters. This, the albums shortest song is one that quickly draws you in and finishes before you have even realised that it is purely instrumental. ‘Star Catcher’ kind of has you expecting Robert Smith to join in on vocals it is one of those lighter moments on the album and also reminiscent of everything from My Bloody Valentine with its sudden guitar scythes and bands like Lush and any of the 4AD mob.
This is not the longest album and only comes in at around the 40 minute mark but that is good, who wants epic fairytales anyway, some of the best are short and compact and can be comfortably retold just before bedtime. The last number ‘About Which An Old House Dreams’ should have you mellow and caressed in a trance like ambience as it wafts over you and this rich and addictive album will have you addicted and coming back for more, whilst eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
http://www.season-of-mist.com/bands/old-silver-key
Pete Woods
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