Well, I
like post metal as much as the next guy, but Light Bearer plays a type of post
metal that I can't connect with at all. I had high hopes for this album in the
first few minutes of the album, as the intro is a beautiful orchestral melody.
My nerves were elated by this, and I was at astute attention. Then: chaos.
Yes,
chaos ensued. The guitars charged in only to become that cliché sort of "white
noise" that this genre so loves. The vocalist (if you can call him that) started
screaming illegible nonsense with almost a punk hint to his voice. The album
focuses on these horrible harsh vocals, which is a real shame, as the clean
vocals are quite nice when they show up randomly. This is one of the reasons
that "Matriarch" is probably the best track here, as we get more beautiful
singing, an excellent progression, and a nice ambiance. The rest of the album?
You won't be able to wait until it's over and done.
This
band, to my ears, sounds almost exactly like Ne Obliviscaris. I'm not a huge fan
of that extreme metal band either, but at least they have amazing violins, a
dichotomy between light and dark, folksiness, and their own approach. Light
Bearer seems like a cheap copycat that employs more slow portions, and doesn't
do anything nearly as well.
You know,
I have nothing against post metal at all.
I like the
idea of having moody, texture driven pieces that tend to be very dark. But,
Light Bearer does NOTHING to separate themselves from the pack. They fall into
the same ruts that plague this subgenre, and their music ends up being "boring"
(a word I hate to use ever).
If that is your thing, though, be my guest.
