Sundecay – Gale

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You know, it’s not that easy to write a review as some may think. Of course, there are reviews that come out easily, very smoothly; but others are as a child birth, hard and difficult. On the opposite of most may see it, the quality of band doesn’t have anything to do with it. What makes the review come easy is the bond reviewer-band. But do you made that bond happen? Ah, my child of the night, it’s impossible to explain. From where I’m standing may be a scream in the beginning of the song, it may be the guitars, it may be the vocals, or whatever, I can’t really explain. There are times I’m writing the review even before listening to all the album. Yeah, it happens. But there are times I have to listen to it several times to establish a bond. I’ve go to tell you, I need a bond to write about the band and the album. If there is no bond, I can’t write.

So, what does all this have to do with Sundecay “Gale”? It was a very hard effort to write about. I had to listen to the only four tracks of “Gale” several times. As I said, it doesn’t have anything to do with Sundecay quality. They are a good band. But finally, after some struggles, the review is about to be written. Sundecay are a doom-oriented band. Why did I write doom-oriented? Because what they do goes a bit beyond Doom. Most of what they can be labeled as Doom, and most cannot. “From corners” kicks out with a strong and shoegazed guitar riff. Well, to say shoegazed doesn’t mean all the truth about “From corners” guitar riff. It is slow, but strengthful. “From corners” is a riff-oriented song by all means. You feel that the song was written accordingly to it. Others may be call it sludge. It doesn’t matter at all.

Title track “Gales” and “Heavy Motion” deserve best the title shoegazed and doomy. If you begin with these songs you will get the impression that Sundecay is a regular Doom Metal band what is wrong. Last, but not least track, “The Land That Never Thaws” is epic with eleven minutes. It’s intro could be in any heavy or psychedelic rock album of the 1970s. When vocals come it assume a Seattle cadence and a dark and somber tone. The song suffers some changes until its end and that’s what makes it great. The guitar solo that may sound as a keyboard in the middle is astonishing.

It took some time to write this review, but I guess it was worth it. Bands like Sundecay deserve not only but our best.

Sundecay  “Gales” will be released on November 30th.

Track Listing:

  1. From Corners
  2. Gales
  3. Heavy Motion
  4. The Land That Never Thaws