ODE AND ELEGY — Ode and Elegy (review)

ODE AND ELEGY — Ode and Elegy album cover

Album · 2022 · Avant-garde Metal

4.5/5 · 2022-02-25
siLLy puPPy

ODE AND ELEGY is an interesting new metal hybrid solo project from songwriter / producer Kent Fairman who spent the early 2000s in a post-rock / post-hardcore / screamo band called The Pax Cecilia. That band was cutting edge in how it merged the disparate words of screamo based post-hardcore with modern classical and chamber music and released two highly lauded albums “Nouveau” and “Blessed Are The Bonds.” Technically the band is still around but seems defunct with no new releases since a 2014 EP titled “Mythos Fragments.”

This musical style never really escaped Fairman’s interest and after many years he has resurrected the core elements of The Pax Cecilia with his new project ODE AND ELEGY. This pretty much picks up where the last project left off only adding even more genres of music to the blend by adopting the more bombastic world of metal to the mix. Sounding something like a Toby Driver project ranging from Maudlin of the Well to his more metal oriented Kayo Dot releases, ODE AND ELEGY certainly isn’t afraid of tackling the same ambitions with its self-titled debut delivering a 55-minute track also titled “Ode And Elegy.”

This project lurks in that strange musical world that doesn’t really fit into any category lately. Is it rock? Is it metal? Chamber rock? Classical music? Well, all and none of the above actually. Like any really good avant-gardist, Fairman has done his homework on how to seamlessly meld all the aforementioned ingredients in order to create some musical alchemy and in the process delivers one of 2022’s most original and forward thinking musical creations so far. I have often said that metal is the new classical music with adventurous technical and progressive metal bands adopting more and more of the traditional Western classical music motifs only set to a louder and prouder musical paradigm.

ODE AND ELEGY the album is quite beautiful in how it slowly and incrementally transcends from intimate chamber rock to post-hardcore and screamo and then back to chamber rock and then to post-metal with a few interruptions of unaccompanied choral vocal music. This is truly artistic and although the Kayo Dot comparisons are valid, ODE AND ELEGY doesn’t utilize jazz as a wellspring of musical tones, textures and chord progressions. Rather the Western classical musical world seems like the main inspiration here as far as the compositional flow is concerned and a the chamber rock, post-hardcore and post-metal add the tones and textures, dynamics and tempos.

What reminds me most of the Kayo Dot projects is Fairman’s vocal style. His lyrical delivery really does evoke a Toby Driver project and if someone were to tell me that this was indeed any Driver led band, i would totally believe it! Musically this is rich and much more in the chamber rock and classical world than metal as the metal is a bit of tertiary ingredient. The main instruments include the bass guitar, drums and guitar but also on board are a string section, harp, brass section, flute and vocal choir. The post-rock feel is valid as well as the compositional flow employs cyclical loops that are augmented by classical overtones and dense multi-layered polyphonic effects.

A true gem in 2022 when many classic metal bands are going retro and other experimental bands seem a bit unfocused in their approach. This one seems like it walks the tightrope in so many ways but sails through many turbulent storms like a caravel traversing calm waters. It’s both placidly chilled out and dynamically obstreperous at the right moments. The clash of the dynamics is the name of the game here and Fairman cleverly ekes out the call and response effect with seeming ease. This is a very unique album that may not appeal to the instant gratification that many a metalhead demands but for those who can appreciate the delayed response of a seriously well construed post-rock album with a bit of metal heft, then this one’s for you! Fans of Kayo Dot and Toby Driver projects will most appreciate this. One of my faves of the year so far!