The Pitch: Holy Roar Records brings us the progressive blackened hardcore and sludge of UK band Conjurer. "Equal turns bleak, dark, stark, and beautiful, Mire is an album which makes true the cliché; a journey of a listen.'" FFO: Hellkeeper, LLNN, Sibiir
What I Like: Mire is an emotional, momentous album that rattles its foundations deep into the Earth's core. From the early doom-ridden chords and blackened death snarls of "Choke," Conjurer set the tone for something that is sure to be cataclysmic. I adore a band that knows how to sell a ripping transition from snails-pace sludge to blazing blastbeats, and this track absolutely kills it. Furthermore, the album as a whole is ripe with dynamic range. Like water ever-flowing between trickling stream, free-flowing river, and raging ocean torrent, Mire delivers both tranquil beauty and life-threatening violence. And while I'm partial to the unfaltering rage of tracks like "Retch," I also love the brief but passionate singing on the hook of "Thankless."
Critiques: A few of these tracks feel a little longer than they need to be. The softer moments, while well done, sometimes seem like they are padding out the runtime without great reason.
The Verdict: Mire has it all: proggy riffs, post-metal interludes, ominous doom, ferocious hardcore, and slithering sludge. While the pacing could be a little tighter, it's worth it to hear everything that Conjurer has to offer. Definitely give this one a shot.
Flight's Fav's: Retch, Choke, The Mire
-Review by FlightOfIcarus
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it with others to help us grow. You can also like and follow us on the social media of your choice with Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and support us on Patreon.
