Review: Síoraí Geimhreadh - Solitude
Sunday, June 8th, 2008
Several months ago a small package from Ireland showed arrived in my mailbox without any forewarning. I was pleasantly surprised to find a little self-released EP from Síoraí Geimhreadh inside, who I imagine were referred to me by the gentlemen in Altar of Plagues. Short and concise, consisting of four tracks which clock in at over just half an hour, I then spent several months listening to it trying to figure out what to write about this humble release.
After my first few listens, several inclinations became pretty obvious to me. It is quite apparent at what mood the band is striving toward with implementation of a somewhat raw but warm feel in their production. Síoraí Geimhreadh obviously are not trying to pound the atypical black metal ‘evil and frostbitten’ feel into the listeners head, but rather a more tangible and earthy approach. This connects immediately with some influences the band isn’t shy about sharing, drawing directly from the school of Weakling and subsequently, Wolves in the Throne Room. This isn’t at all a bad thing, as I enjoy both of the aforementioned bands quite a bit, and I am of the opinion that somewhat young bands all need a place to start. Why who wouldn’t be influenced to write music with inspiration fueled by other great projects?
The instrument roster is very minimal in a “Local H sort of way” with nothing more than drums, guitar, and vocals. Song structures are not at all basic, and are one of the most promising things about Síoraí Geimhreadh. This is also another element that makes their reverence toward Wolves in the Throne Room quite apparent. However the songs are all well put together and rarely overstay their welcome even after repeated listens. What makes this EP so damned hard to review is that there’s something very special that is being created here, but at the same time I feel like there’s too much of a similarity to their influences. The main thing that eats me up about this release is that it’s almost TOO stripped down. The writing is full of conviction and passion, but it’s almost as if they’re missing opportunities to really create something which will separate them from the path they’re on and take them, and the listener, on their own unique journey.
The Solitude EP is something I very much appreciate, not only because it has challenged me as a reviewer probably more than anything I’ve ever written about, but because Síoraí Geimhreadh is a band that has great potential. If I could suggest any adjustments, it would to explore possibilities for further layering and try to deviate from the stripped down approach for too much longer. I’d hate to see this band go to waste by writing music that is much too influenced by others.