Vertigo Steps – Surface / Light (2012)

Thanks to the Internet and the current advances in technology, releases like “Surface / Light” from Vertigo Steps are now possible with collaborating parts from two different countries. This two man project from Portugal and Finland deliver what is probably one the best Atmospheric Rock / Post-Rock releases of 2012. Combining elements of bands like Katatonia, Anathema (newer stuff), Porcupine Tree with some more ‘mainstream’ Post-Rock/Atmospheric Rock influences, Vertigo Steps manages to create a lush and ethereal sounding tracks unlike any other band we’ve heard recently.

Opening with the atmospheric “Vertigo Dawn”, you can really feel the overall peacefulness and calmness that the album’s atmosphere is going to bring to your hectic day. With very firm guitar work and a nice Rock-ish vibe, “The Hollow” delivers the first introduction into the band’s combination of mainstream rock elements with brilliant atmospheres. The clean vocals of Niko Mankinen are outstanding and very soothing. There are some very nice female backing vocals in this track that nicely add to the atmosphere of this song. The guitar work is quite catchy and keeps things running smooth and heavy without overpowering the atmospheric content of the track.

In a similar way to songs by Amesoeurs, “Silent Bliss” opens with very catchy guitar work and a hefty focus on vocal melodies and atmospheric elements. The chorus version of this track is something we probably find in an alternative rock song, but what elevates this one is the subtle piano sections and the power of the guitars. The samples/clean spoken sections of “Railroads of Life” contrasted by the powerful guitars make this track very reminiscent of Post-Rock greats God Is An Astronaut, but when the female vocals make their appearance, we were blown away.

We can write for paragraphs about all tracks, but after a little sampler we will let listeners enjoy the intricacies of brilliant tracks like: “Tonight I Died, tomorrow I’ll Live”, “Disappear Here” and “Someone (like you)”. Our favorite track has to be the dreamy “Zeppelin in Fire”, filled with powerful guitars and excellent melodic sections. The vocals have a similar vibe to Decorayah, and we totally love them for this. As a side not worth mentioning, the CD comes with the video of “Someone (like you)”, featuring a very relaxing images snow covered forests (with excellent green filters to make them prettier) of what we imagine is Finland.

Bruno A and Miko Mankinen has managed to put together an excellent release that brings together many different genre’s and merges them together in a lush atmospheric sound that will intoxicate (in a good way) the listener. With guest vocals from Jan Transit, Patrik Karlsson, Stein R. Sordal, and Sophie, plus the session work of Daniel Cardoso on drums and bass guitar, “Surface / Light” is a unique musical experience that should not be missed by anybody that has a knack for atmospheric rock music and Post-Rock/Metal.

Release: April 16th, 2012

Country: Portugal / Finland