Starchitect sounds to me like it should be a Progressive band playing dreamy and ethereal music. Ethereal it is to a point, but what this Ukrainian band offers up is in fact Post Metal in the style of Cult of Luna or in less harsh moments, Bossk. So we plug in and inhale a sweeping and deadly guitar range, backed by a deadened drum sound and occasional hoarse roars. It is of course heavy and whilst the lazy comparison can be made to Cult of Luna thanks to its sweeping dark soundscapes, it’s more direct thanks to its shorter tracks. With Starchitect, once a musical statement is made, we move on.
So the first track “The Sun, The Rain” leads to the more pounding “Light”. The roars synchronise with the deep guitar riff. By contrast, “Yeah” is lighter in a Post Metal sense, sounding like Canned Heat to begin with and developing good forward motion and a nice riff. It soon cranks up to the dark soundscape to which we’ve become accustomed. As the sound gets broader and darker, it’s like a threat hanging over us. The constant beat is hypnotic. The band are now working up a sweat. It’s fast and mobile, exhilarating in fact. The mood changes again on the much harsher “Friends”. This is more like post Metal Hardcore with a rhythm section. It leads to a quieter passage and then a wall of noise. After the noise, it mellows out a bit and builds up, this time to something emotionally charged. I have no idea what any of this has to do with “Friends”, but it’s an interesting and unusual track. Crash, bang …. the slow dark tones contribute to an atmosphere of desperate anguish. “Silence” steams on constantly and majestically. As ever, the drums produce the power, while the guitars provide the menace. Roars of anguish continue against the bleak backdrop. This track takes more than one turn but we always return to the bludgeoning and mid-paced instrumentals. “Silence” is not golden. It is just very heavy.
As if to prove the point, “Face to Face” is a continuation of “Silence”. Pained screams match the dark and mechanical rhythm. It then steps down. The journey continues in a new direction with sludgy minimalist guitar and cymbals. The sound begins to build up. One senses the customary monolithic slab but we have first to work through an intricate and hypnotising web of guitar work. Cleverly, we never get there because the valve is opened, the air releases and the track comes to a stop. Finally, we have “Murder”, not the Katatonia version but there is a slightly melancholic air to begin with. We’re soon in the regular harsh pattern, which changes as it steps up a notch, becoming higher pitch and anarchic as the album ends.
“No” is an album whose life comes from its interesting variations and developments. As an example of the Post Metal format, it is of high quality and I would certainly recommend it.
http://www.myspace.com/starchitect
Andrew Doherty
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