Kev Rowland

Oh. My. God. I just have no idea to where or how to write about this album, which is one of the most incredible releases I have ever come across. My Silent Wake have been around for quite a few years now, making quite a reputation for themselves in the doom field, although I have managed somehow to totally bypass all their other albums, so I have no idea if this how they normally sound. What I do know, is that from the very first song to the very last twenty-one-minute epic I was entranced. It’s not doom as such, or dark ambient, or atmospheric black metal, but somehow brings all those influences and many more into something that is completely engaging and essential.

“Volta” starts life with a harpsichord, then turns into a dance were the black masses congregate: it certainly doesn’t sound how a Volta normally does (which as you all know originated in either Italy or the medieval Provençal courts, was introduced in Paris in around 1556 by Catherine de Medici, and required highly intimate contact between two partners of the opposite sex.). Then there are others where the music is far about creating an atmosphere than creating melody. I firmly believe that the only way to play this album is as a solitary adventure, either played when there is no-one else around to interfere with its enjoyment, or on headphones when the rest of the world can be shut out. To my ears, it is an incredible achievement, and one of the most perplexing and entrancing albums I have ever come across.

Pelata Two of the UK's premier underground Doom/Death bands join forces for a nearly 76-minute split album to fantastic results. My Silent Wake, led by his majesty Ian Arkley and The Drowning, whose 2008 release 'This Bleak Descent' was one of that year's sleeper hits. While both occupying the Death/Doom genre, even if on the fringes, they each have their own distinct instances of light and shade. My Silent Wake taking on the more folk-tinged, epic side and The Drowning taking a more straightforward, depressive approach.

Comprised of 4 tracks from each band (including a track from each band covering the other), 'Black Lights & Silent Roads' is a solid, enjoyable listen from beginning to end. My Silent Wake is up first with it's track, a cover of Attrition's "I Am (Eternity)". It's a strong, dark songs showcasing all that is right with the band. A slow, marching snare (insert funeral analogy here) carries the track into epic darkness, early Paradise Lost style with brilliant growls overlaid with beautiful female vocals. New original song "Blean Endless Winter" has a sort of bouncing, Doom Metal groove at the outset before delving into some Opeth-like grandiose Prog musings.

Don't take my name-dropping as any sort of accusation of copying, because My Silent Wake do more than enough to leave their own marks on the listener. Their mix of sad, dark melodies and crushing heaviness, while not entirely original, is presented in a way that is all their own. Their rendition of The Drowning's "Devoid Of Light" is a softer, acoustic take on the song, complete with wood-block percussion and gypsy-like mandolins. The clean vocals carry a ghostly ambience making for one of the coolest moments on the album. The jewel of My Silent Wake's contributions, as quite possibly the entire album, is the 23-minute "Rebirth", easily the band's more ambitious, progressive track to date. Running the gamut from swirling folk ambience, to grey, misty beauty ala Pink Floyd to pure Doom-laden heaviness, it's probably my favorite track from the band, ever.

The Drowning kick things off with "The Doomsday Feire" and it's pure, melodic Doom all the way ala eary versions of Katatonia or Paradise Lost. This is where The Drowning excels, bringing true, pure, early-90s Doom spirit to the album. The combination of crushing heaviness and melodic, reverb-laced guitar melodies is as refreshing as it is familiar. Their second track, "Arc Light", is more of the same and quite tasty at that; slow, swallowed in sadness Doom Metal. "Silent Epiphany", however, finds the band picking up the pace ala Sentenced in a more mid-tempo, energetic break from the rest of the album's melancholy moods while maintaining a depressive vibe. Where My Silent Wake took a heavy track from The Drowning and made it acoustic, The Drowning does the opposite, giving the originally acoustic-laden "A Photograph" a crushing blow of heaviness and power. In doing this, they've given the song a sense of tension and desparation and truly made it their own.

I can't say enough about how good this album is. These two bands are, in my opinion, are deserving of so much more attention than they seem to be getting. Fans of any of the bands I mentioned here should find this album highly enjoyable, so I say get it. While you're at it, get 'A Garland Of Tears' from My Silent Wake and 'This Bleak Descent' from The Drowning. You can thank me later.

Pelata Despite releasing now three albums of remarkable Metal music, England’s My Silent Wake seems to go largely unnoticed. Part of this, I believe, is that they don’t belong to a singular genre. The band deftly combines elements of Doom, Death and Folk Metal utilizing four vocalists while creating waves of melancholic mastery. One can find influence on hand from the likes of My Dying Bride and early Paradise Lost, even touches of Agolloch and Amorphis. This is good stuff here.

The 11-minute “Tunnels” gets things going in fine form with dark, folk-tinged Metal goodness. A swelling clean guitar intro makes way for a soothing clean vocal passage (there’s no text indicating who did what vocals). Death vocals and huge guitars soon take over and it’s crushing. The song travels through many peaks and chasms, from the beautiful to the creepy, giving the listener firm evidence as to what the band are all about. Instrumental “Pendulum” is a piece of traditional folk styled music sounding like something straight out of a period film (or Renaissance fair). Mid-way through the album, “By My Own Hand” brings the despair in full force with is slow, trudging tempo and somber melodies. The acoustic number “Fallen Leaves” is simply stunning…beautiful piece with the vocal really shining. The added organ on “Wilderness Of Thorns”, in addition to the doubled male/female vocals, gives a funerary presence while the growled vocals sound extremely urgent and intense…especially during the blast beat section. The whole album has a bleak, sad vibe about it. Yet, lyrically, they don’t leave it at that. There is plenty of grief and anguish to go around, but My Silent Wake isn’t content to remain there, alluding to something of a “light at the end of the tunnel”, however dim it may seem.

While not necessarily turning the genre on its ear, My Silent Wake delivers a formidable album that is traditional enough for the purists, yet diverse enough for those who like a little bit of variation…nothing overwrought and nothing monotonous. Sonically, there’s a slightly raw, almost live feel about it that does nothing but add to the appeal of the music. Fans of the aforementioned bands and of the style in general can, and I believe will, find plenty to love about A Garland Of Tears and inundate themselves with repeated listens.