The uncanny starts with the dualistic – to say the least – name of the album “The Streetlight Was All We Needed.” As we all know the light is something all shadow followers avoid. The streetlight even more. On the other hand, if we think it straight, the ones who want redemption look for the light. So, I guess Sertraline are a band that look for redemption with the release of this compilation – retrospective – of three EPs. And how the music in here? I confess that it beats me because I feel divided with it. The contrast inside it is the thing that attracts me the most. This kind of vocals is always something very powerfull and it gets even more powerfull when compared with the intimistic ands moody instrumentals. Let’s take the last track “Prague,” for instance. Instrumental seem to be out of the theme of the song, I mean, they are kind of not related at all with the song. They are so intimistic that this feeling stands until the end of the song. In fact, this is the most amazing of it. It is a completely uncommon way of making music. Especially Metal music that have all its rules and standards. Sertraline proved to be out of them. Suddenly in the forth minute or so the song speeds it up and gets eve more out. What sounded out now gets in, if you ask me. The atmospheric mood is the tone of the album from the beginning with “(BLOOM)” the track that presents the band to the fan. “Azalea” follows it and in a way gets its main idea from the flower it is named after. It’s gentle and strong at the same time with a beauty that goes beyond.
“The Streetlight Was All We Needed” an album that surprises.
Sertraline “The Streetlight Was All We Needed” will be released on January 15th via Hypnotic Dirge Records.
Track Listing:
- (BLOOM)
- Azalea
- (HAZE)
- Shade
- Hounds of Avarice
- The Knowledge from Trees
- Entwined
- Eya as Tableau
- Their Cities
- Prague
Watch “The Knowledge from Trees” official video here: