It always worries me a little when I don’t hear something I good out of Sweden in a while (a while being a week or more). Like, did the significantly more socialist economy they have up there finally collapse and reduce them all to barbarism? Forcing them to eat rats and trade their children for the next smartphone upgrade? Oh wait, the phrase is Socialism OR Barbarism… or NOT and... also they’re on the whole doing just fine even in the grips of a global pandemic… well, if they decide that they want a little less self-determinism and a little more neo-feudalism, they can let the United States know. I’m sure they’d be happy to send an envoy from the University of Chicago’s Economics Department.
Getting back on topic, Barrens is a dark post-metal band from Sweden and I’m definitely enjoying their debut LP Penumbra. Barrens is a signee to Pelagic Records, and if you’re familiar with the likes of heavy post-rockers and label mates Pg.Lost then you have a pretty good idea of what’s coming your way on Penumbra. Barrens' members all met while playing in the largely instrumental indie rock band Scraps of Tape. I know what you’re thinking, pretentious meandering indie rock, like I need more of that in my life. I relate to that sentiment, but hear me out, because 1) Scraps of Tape are not the kind of band to get lost up their own rear ends, and subsequently neither are Barrens, and 2) both those bands ROCK OUT LOUD! In fact, you can hear the energy and dark brooding Pelican-esque angst busting out all of Scraps of Tape at all corners, like a wolverine clawing its way out a burlap sack, and that energy is transferred over to Barrens without inertia.
Let yourself ascend in the spotlight like glare of “Atomos” which has a surprisingly weighty and patient groove, supporting wafting gamma-rays of Failure-eque guitars and twinkling keys. Your brain will be lightly seared as you let “Arc Eye” into your ears, with its haunting and crisp synth-led grooves and sharp, lyrical, and insistent guitar work. Most of the tracks here tend to be downtempo in terms of speed, but if you want something that will ratchet up your heart rate “Shifter” will do the trick, with dark and foreboding industrial post-punk guitars and cruelly persistent, rapid synth stabs ala Perturbator- the whole gambit has a techno-dystopian feel that could set the tone to a chase scene in the next installment of the Blade Runner franchise. If you are looking for an ominous addition to your soundtrack this week, look no further than Penumbra.
Grab a copy of Penumbra from Pelagic Records, here.
