Post metal and sludge may not be talked about as often amongst the more mainstream facing side of metal as they were throughout the mid-2000s and early 2010s, but there are still plenty of new bands worth keeping track that inject their own flavor into the genres. One of these newcomers is Edinburgh, Scotland based Codespeaker, who formed in 2019 and released their self-titled debut in 2022. Spread across nine tracks, Codespeaker’s debut took a lot of familiar elements from some of post metal’s best and showcased equal amounts of calmer, reflective moments alongside pummeling and aggressive peaks. Like a lot of albums, the material that made up this debut spent a long time in development and by the time of its release the band’s lineup had changed significantly and it’s with this context that the shifts on follow-up Scavenger make sense. Album two pivots towards more aggression and an overall darker atmosphere in ways that shake up the band’s formula while retaining some of the more thoughtful nuances of their debut. It’s a more direct and pummeling listen, and while there are still plenty of familiar elements the quality of the songwriting gives Scavenger plenty of substance that will keep you coming back for more.
Opener “Usud” showcases Codespeaker’s more direct approach pretty quickly, as the first thirty seconds or so explore softer yet dark textures before the sound explodes in a flurry of destructive rhythms and dense riffs. It’s noticeably more violent and aggressive in sound, but as you get a little further in the band showcases that this emphasis on power hasn’t caused them to lose their nuances and be too singularly focused. Around the two-minute mark the layers of sound recede once again, letting some softer guitar and bass work take the spotlight while keeping a sense of tension and a darker tone. This creates a natural pause and sense of reflection before the band doubles down on the attack and ends things with a bang. The interplay between crushingly heavy and powerful riffs and softer, fragile ones is at the center of what Codespeaker is doing throughout Scavenger, and they vary these two sides in different ways from one song to the next. Early on this comes through rumbling grooves and explosive passages that remind me of earlier Rosetta, Black Sheep Wall, and some of the more direct Cult of Luna material, but the back-half brings in different textures and heads into some different territory. “Enso” and closer “Verte” in particular have some hints of black metal that when fused with the sludgier, slower sections has some Celeste vibes, while “Karst” explores some of the softest melodies on the album while still retaining a sense of dread and despair. Despite how many bands I just listed and some of the familiarity individual passages may bring, the way everything comes together on Scavenger does give the material its own identity and differentiates Codespeaker a bit more when compared to their debut. “Hecatomb” continues to be one of the major standouts for me on repeat listens, as the transitions between the more introspective passages and pummeling ones is impactful. Admittedly “Enso” does run just a little bit too long, but there’s so much here that has drawn me back and it doesn’t take away too much from the experience.
With the instrumentals emphasizing more aggression, it makes sense that the majority of the vocal work skews in that direction. Greg Armstrong has one of those growls that towers over the recording and grabs your attention over immediately, and the sheer amount of weight behind every word makes the performance hit that much harder. Stylistically it reminds me a lot of Rosetta, as there’s that same forceful presence and the natural pauses between each verse allows for the intensity to never dip. Codespeaker does also incorporate some singing on “Usud”, but it blends into the background a little bit too much and aside from this one song the band doesn’t really revisit it. I’d be curious to see if it’s an element they’d work on developing, as I could see some additional singing fitting in well with some of the more subdued instrumentation. The other highlight on the vocal front is the addition of Frontierer’s Chad Kapper on “Enso”, as his raspier screams mix in well with Armstrong.
Much like the monolith on the cover, Codespeaker’s sophomore effort has a powerful presence and the more direct songwriting allows for some truly intense peaks and haunting respites. It also avoids some of the lingering, dragging build-ups that are common from the genre, and while there is still room for the band to continue to grow they’ve already begun to form an identity of their own here. The crushing weight of the heavier grooves and peaks along with the introspective melodies that get under your skin leave a lasting impression, and if you’re a fan of this type of post metal this album is sure to be a 2024 highlight. Scavenger is available from Ripcord Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg