British Columbia

Gatekeeper, From Western Shores (Cruz Del Sur 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , ,

Canadian epic metal band Gatekeeper bring forth the wonder once again on From Western Shores.

Guitarist Jeff Black started Gatekeeper as a solo project in 2009. Steeped in the quality of life that western Canada provides, Black set to work on epic melodic metal compositions, turning out over the years many EPs and splits, along with the full-length album East Of Sun in 2018. The band roster has changed considerably as time passed, and for the new album, Jeff Black is joined by Tyler Anderson (vocals), Adam Bergen (guitar, choir), David Messier (bass, choir), and Thomas Torma (drums).

“From Western Shores” sounds like the beginning of something big. The composition is dramatic and seasoned with exotic tinges. Soaring vocals and razor-sharp execution is the mainstay, gearing up for a journey told in music. “Death On Black Wings” is the first confrontation with violence and the energy and tone is appropriately adjusted. You can hear it in the vocals and the expressive lead guitar lines that sound like battles themselves. “Shadow And Stone” is quieter and reflective, pushing in the folk metal direction and passing by the valley of the power ballad. “Exiled King” is somber and sad in its sound and intimations. It is reflective, as we might expect given the title. The music becomes more forceful as the song progresses, suggesting the possibility of resolution.

The second half opens on “Nomads.” The beginning riff is enticingly stabby, tempered by the rollick in the rhythm section. The windswept middle of the song is a mysterious entanglement. “Twisted Towers” is positively peppy, almost a radio tune. Presumably, this song is the direct inspiration for the cover painting (or vice versa). There are some nice, gritty rock passages tucked away in here. “Desert Winds” reëstablishes a serious musical posture leading into the epic closer and namesource, “Keepers Of The Gate.” The metal here is larger than life, as it is meant to be. There is a long and satisfying cooldown so you can put what you have just experienced into perspective. Well done all around. Recommended.

From Western Shores finds broad release on Friday, March 24th through Cruz Del Sur Music. You can get the physicals at the links below.

Band photos by Wayne Edwards.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://gatekeeper.bandcamp.com/album/from-western-shores

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/GatekeeperBand/

Cruz Del Sur Music, https://www.cruzdelsurmusic.com/store/

© Wayne Edwards

Gatekeeper, From Western Shores (Cruz Del Sur 2023)

Tribunal, The Weight Of Remembrance (20 Buck Spin 2023)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , ,

The debut album from Tribunal is aswirl with hypnotic gothic doom, The Weight Of Remembrance.

Originating in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tribunal is a relatively new band, having formed only three years ago. Their focus is doom music, and they create it by integrating clean and coarse vocals, big doom guitar riffs, and classical instruments like piano and cello. The resulting composition are absolutely captivating, achieving an alchemical synergy that does not seem quite possible. Tribunal is Soren Mourne (bass, cello, vocals) and Etienne Flinn (guitar, vocals). Session musicians include Julia Geaman (drums), Claine Lamb (piano), and Rory Say (additional vocals).

“Initiation” opens the creaking doors and, given its effect, could not have been better titled because it does not merely introduce you to the music you be hearing for the next many minutes, it also prepares you for it. “Of Creeping Moss and Crumbled Stone” follows with a grand and sweeping hopelessness. The guitars are the driving force, and the vocals add tortured humanity to the music. “Apathy’s Keep” showcases the clean vocal, adding vile emanations to temper the sorrowful elixir. “Remembrance” is a short piano piece that raises the question of jeopardy amongst the decay.

The second half of the album holds more dark delights. “A World Beyond Shadow” is as stark as an arctic desert. Sinister whispers float in from the indeterminant nearness, exposing a dire possibility for the eventual destination of your soul. “Without Answer” pairs strings with gruff voice at its inception. Cautious vocals follow, tempered not by fear but by spiritual gravity. The final movement is the twelve-minute epic, “The Path.” The music is enthralling and, as I said at the beginning, hypnotic. The integration of classical instruments into a modern doom setting has been attempted before but rarely has achieved this level of success. This album should be at the top of the queue for every doom metal fan. Highly recommended.

The Weight Of Remembrance is out now through 20 Buck Spin. Touch the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://listen.20buckspin.com/album/the-weight-of-remembrance

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/TribunalDoom/

20 Buck Spin Label, https://www.20buckspin.com/

© Wayne Edwards

Tribunal, The Weight Of Remembrance (20 Buck Spin 2023)

Atræ Bilis, Apexapien (20 Buck Spin 2021)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , , ,

The first full-length album from Canadian Death Metal venturers Atræ Bilis is a warning shot across the bow of musical mediocrity.

Formed in 2018, Vancouver Death Metal band Atræ Bilis released its first album last year, Divinihility, through Transcending Obscurity. That EP was an earth-shaker that created anticipation for what the band might do next. Apexapien answers that question. The band is Luka Govednik (drums), Jordan Berglund (vocals), Brendan Campbell (bass), and David Stepanavicius (guitar).

The opener is a two minute stabbing attack, “Theta.” Absolutely furious. Death Metal vocals break through in the next rack, “Lore Beyond Bone,” featuring harmonies and frenetic percussion and guitar accompaniment. It is like a flock of birds in rapid flight, undulating and twisting but somehow always retuning to a recognizable form.

The album treads this line throughout, the chaos-in-order brutal technical Death Metal. While the style is present on every track, variations abound. Blackened harmonic vocals interact synergistically, especially on tracks like “Hymn of the Flies.” These are some of my favorite moments on the album, but I am impressed overall by the ability and ingenuity of the musical enterprise.

You can hear all manner of labelable crystals in the music from the discordant to perpendicular angularity to experimental avant-garde. To make these diverse ingredients into a workable whole is an accomplishment in and of itself, but to make them musically sound is nearly impossible because if you make one wrong step then it is just noise. Atræ Bilis never take a wrong a step. Recommended.

Apexapien is out on Friday, October 8th through 20 Buck Spin. The vinyl will be out a little later as all record labels deal with the backlog at the vinyl pressers.

Band photo by Derek Carr.

Links.

Atræ Bilis Linktree, https://linktr.ee/atraebilis

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/atraebilis

20 Buck Spin, https://www.20buckspin.com/

Atræ Bilis, Apexapien (20 Buck Spin 2021)

Heavy Trip, Heavy Trip (Burning World Records 2021)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , ,

Instrumental heavy psych trio Heavy Trip re-release a full-length album of succulent guitar delights.

That’s a mushroom on the cover, not weed. Make the appropriate adjustments.

The band is from British Columbia, I hear. Information about them is thin on the ground. A trio, according to the Bandcamp page, and there is photographic evidence of this. The music is amazing instrumental heavy psych guitar-based transcendence. The album is out in a new edition from Burning World Records following the success of its original release last year.

There are four tracks on the album, all of them absorbing, each one chewing at the edge of the infinite. If you think of the music of Earthless as a point of reference, that is not a bad place to start. Heavy Trip have their own unique ways, of course, their own path to the majesty of what is. It is Desert Doom Stoner Heavy Psych Mountain Metal music for the mind expanding crowd.

Here’s the deal: I like this album almost too much to comment on it. There are big riffs and heavy grooves, and the music is so lush it provides sustenance. My advice is drop everything and go listen to it right now. Highly recommended.

Heavy Trip is out already. Check out the band’s website, Burning World Records, or Bandcamp for the goods.

Links.

Website, https://heavytripdudes.com/

Bandcamp, https://heavytripdudes.bandcamp.com/releases

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/HeavyTripDudes

Label, https://www.burningworldrecords.com/

Heavy Trip, Heavy Trip (Burning World Records 2021)