Staggeringly unimaginative title, anything but unimaginative music from this enigmatic Scottish act. Haar present a confident and idioscynchratic approach to black metal on this lengthy three-track release which manages to span a wide variety of styles whilst simultaneously retaining a distinctive centre-of-gravity sonic coherence. This is no mean feat and it’s a real testament to the band’s ambition and compositional skill that this debut self-released EP could quite easily pass for a release by an established band.
Leaving aside the quality digipack and esoteric artwork for a second, Haar quickly assert themselves as proponents of progressive, discordant black metal with more than a hint of technicality about it. Elements of Deathspell Omega, Way to End and event Blut aus Nord are evident with Haar perhaps adopting a more mid-paced approach to their music. The abrasive buzz-saw chords that herald opener ‘Whisper Serenities Eve’ soon give way to an infectious, chunky-yet-discordant refrain with vocalist Gareth demonstrating an impressive grasp of the sinuous dynamics as his voice intertwines with the stuttering chords. Considerable thought too has been given to the interplay between the two guitarists, each swapping between chordal refrains and busy runs with impressive ease.
As the EP progresses, Haar’s willingness to experiment with the simple tools of guitar, bass and drums becomes ever-more evident. Unwilling to commit to the Darkthrone-xerox monochromatic nerco-fests of many bands at this embryonic stage in their career, the Scotsmen are evidently striving for a more developed creative challenge. Choosing to sidestep the currently ‘in vogue’ ambient/atmospheric sound of many UK contemporaries in favour of a more complex, inaccessible approach again speaks of real self-confidence. Boldly aspiring and competently executed, these three tracks have certainly cemented Haar’s position as one of the most promising acts of the recent crop of UKBM debutants.
http://www.myspace.com/haarsounds
