Glare of the Sun - Theia (2019)

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The album sets a very somber and yet optimistic mood with the moody opener “Far from Home”. We particularly love how cinematic and otherworldly the atmosphere is crafted as songs like “The Way the World Was” and “In Exchange for a Memory” roll in. The band’s ability to slowly build into cathartic moments is just brilliant, with a crescendo of weeping guitars and crafty percussions.

The band sets the stage with a very dramatic choral intro as it settles into heavy and punishing Doomy riffs on “II”. This first track at a glance seems a straightforward Doom affair, if it wasn’t for the interesting tempo changes Sludgier undertones and Post-Metal passages. Things get a bit bizarre and yet quite interesting with the weirdness of “III”. While the music seems to follow a typical direction, the vocals sound a bit odd at first. Might be some weird artifact of the mix, but they don’t quite blend with the rest of the music. Unfortunately this is the case for other tracks in the album, so we find it a bit odd.

Progressing with the dreamy Post-Rock/Doom mood of “IV”, the band also incorporates solemn clean vocals that work wonders with such depressive compositions. Things get a bit funkier and weirder with “V”, a track that spills into Jazzy and more Avant-garde territories. The band’s ability to craft unique songs is unrivaled and one of their best skills, but the jumps between styles of songs are a bit too abrupt and chaotic. Channeling influences of bands like Hemelbestormer, The Ocean and Amenra, songs like “VII”, “VIII” and “IX” are quite a delight and a treat to fully unwrap after a few spins.

After our favorite track, the mysterious “XI”, the band closes with the dreamy Post-Rock-ish “XII”. Incorporating a wide gamut of styles and influences makes “Theia” be a very interesting and engaging release. Glare of the Sun are certainly at a whole new level of making music and while most of the times their songs are masterful, there are a few misses here and there. Overall, this album is certainly worth exploring for fans of complex and heavy music that are not afraid of experimentation.

Bands: Glare of the Sun Album: Theia

Label: LifeForce Records

Release: June 21st, 2019

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Genre: Doom/Post-Metal/Sludge

Country: Austria

Rating: 86/100
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