Hi there! I know I usually kick off this section with a paragraph about the tragic loss of “happier” times, but today, we have a new writer debuting. The spotlight’s on them! Welcome the Stargazer Scholar (find them here!). So, be nice on social media, or I’ll find you…
Stargazer Scholar
It’s the year of our Lord 2007, and humanity is hurtling through time and space in leaps and bounds. The very first iPhone is introduced and released, the Messenger mission accomplishes its second flyby of Venus, the European Union member states sign the Treaty of Lisbon, and many disturbing developments are afoot in the East. Oh right, the Metal! Contrary to societal tendencies—or perhaps in direct reaction to them—classic bands are reasserting themselves. Amidst the fading echoes of everything ‘nu’ and the rising trends of everything ‘core,’ they put out a plethora of outstanding releases. Machine Head‘s The Blackening, Porcupine Tree‘s Fear of a Blank Planet, and Dark Tranquillity‘s Fiction dominate year-end lists, while established acts like Moonsorrow and Primordial release what would become their ultimate classics. No wonder that amidst the brilliance of these brighter constellations, some of the emerging stars were outshined—but we’re about to correct that.
Some records are destined to change the musical landscape forever, to inspire generations to come and to spawn multitudes of imitators. Others have a humbler but no less important mission: capturing a moment in time without aspiring to originality. This task is not defined by ambition but rather stems from a genuine desire to create music of a certain variety. Not unlike random acts of kindness that linger in your memory far longer than the situation may warrant, such records can have a unique, if sometimes inexplicable, staying power. They may wear their influences on their sleeves, but they are no less charming for it. It’s all about the mood, the tunes, the atmosphere.
The Morningside‘s The Wind, The Trees and the Shadows of the Past is exactly such a record. The early Death/Doom Katatonia influence becomes apparent even before you press play, as the titles of individual songs combine to form the album’s name. The driving momentum of the verse riff in the album’s proper opener, “The Wind,” comes as no surprise, instantly calling to mind Katatonia‘s “Brave.” The similarity is striking.
If that were all there was to it, however, The Wind… wouldn’t be nearly as captivating. Indeed, twin guitar harmonies paint a richer soundscape, and the lead work often shadows the harsh vocals, carrying the melody and making the shrieks sound almost like singing. A few minutes into the first track, other influences come into play. The Post-Rock instrumental passages sound lush and pensive, following the familiar but effective pattern of build-ups and clean melodies comfortably nestled between the doomy crescendos. I swear some of the more relaxed riffs remind me of The Cure. While Katatonia‘s sorrow is nocturnal and desolate, The Morningside dwell in an autumnal twilight—a quality that, despite the obvious nature of the band’s roots, somehow makes them stand out, if ever so humbly.
The first two songs follow this formula, while the album’s final third introduces mellower elements. The faltering, vulnerable clean vocals, accompanied by moody guitar with just a touch of distortion, again invoke Robert Smith of The Cure. However, at this point, I feel obliged to mention that this version of Robert probably skipped most of his English classes.
The imperfect lyrics and questionable (but thankfully sparse) clean singing are not the only flaws I could find with The Wind…. The drum parts are simplistic and may seem a bit too isolated in the mix, and the passages that worship Katatonia’s sophomore classic are firmly stuck in imitation.
This album won’t change your world, but it’s not trying to. What it can do is keep you company on one lonely, rainy evening—and sometimes, that’s all you really need.
Label: BadMoodMan Music
Release date: August 11, 2007
Website: https://www.facebook.com/groups/49112656578/
Country: Russia
Score: the number of instruments Jonas Renkse is proficient at, out of 5
Metal Eclipse Reviews 