We will admit straight away that we are not sure if our words can do justice to and truly convey the creative realm and dark majesty which breeds the sound of Swedish band Eyemouth but they can certainly reveal the striking and thrilling effect their new EP had on ears and the imagination.
The Cut EP is quite simply superb, an adventure into the compelling world of one of the world’s truly unique propositions. We first came across and were seduced by the rarefied invention of Gothenburg hailing Eyemouth through their third and fourth EPs, Noera Genesis and The Flood. Each provided a journey into the unknown as captivating as it was disorientating, a creative adventure continued through debut album A Newly Planted Grain in 2017 and the Spiral EP two years later. We shamefully admit we managed to miss both encounters and can only say it has to have been to our major loss going by the magnificence of Cut.
Eyemouth consists of Marcus Lilja and Joakim Åberg, the band deriving in 2014 from the demise of Estrange and includes Dark Abstract in its member’s history. As suggested it is hard to accurately expose the creative palette to the Eyemouth sound. There is an electronic breeding which entangles with classic, atmospheric and psychedelic nurtured rock as well as a dark folk and occult scented imagination at play but that still only conjures certain aspects of a sound at a new high within the new Eyemouth offering. With four tracks making up its body, each a tale in sound, word, and intimation, Cut is pure fascination which entangles ears as it dances with the imagination; emotions just as easily caught in its dark and at times demonic embrace.
The EP begins its captivation with A life of its own, the track emerging on a sonic shimmer which within a few breaths is already casting a sinister edge to its atmospheric expansion. The magnetic presence of the band’s vocals is as potent as ever, again a harmonic dexterity accompanied by a more primal fringe. As the sonic winds build, a compelling cacophony of sound and suggestion brews, darkness a cloud of emotive intimation within the rich array of diverse ethnic instrumentation, including the bagpipes of Per Stjernkvist, making up the fixation.
Stay quiet is all there is to it follows, shaman drumming enticing attention with controlled but magnetic resonation as again darker hues erupt and interrupt the track’s emerging climate that itself tenebrific. Similarly vocals bring a fusion of shaded and darker intimation. All the while, the track wormed into the psyche like a hungry threat to eventually brew and erupt in a throbbing infestation aided by the guest drums of Håkan Aspnäs, before folk lilted vocals accompanied by an infectious canter rise up within the senses enveloping atmospheric corruption.
Both tracks are sheer captivation for ears, attention and a premise evoking imagination; all swiftly seduced again by At the opening of the gate. Stygian hues once more immediately challenge thought, the declaration of vocals soon escalating the creative weave as melody kindled and electronically summoned sounds share virulent flirtation. With those vocals just as magnetic and another spectrum of instruments colouring the instinctive imagination, the song simply enslaved and in quick time, emerged one of the best things heard here in recent years. As within every track, every second brings a seed for unpredictable enterprise and pleasure with every syllable another spark for the listener’s thoughts.
The album closes out with To open up the skin, a Tartarean glimpse upon the real world seemingly under scrutiny and manipulation of otherworldly protagonists. Melody and harmony unite in a warm comforting hug within a portentous sonic incantation, the crepuscular atmosphere darkening and becoming more leaden and overwhelming until the final melodic sigh.
It is a magnificent end to a glorious release which again we suggest is like nothing you will have explored before. Eyemouth have teased and warranted the biggest attention for a far while now, the Cut EP now demands it.
Cut is out now; available @ https://eyemouth.bandcamp.com/album/cut
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Pete RingMaster 18/04/2020
Copyright RingMasterReview: MyFreeCopyright
The following Say Goodbye To You comes from a more shadowy depth but too brings a magnetic elegance and lure to temper the volatile and agitated heart of the song. With Maddox’s voice another rich lure in the rapaciously mercurial insistence of the song, it invites and devours in equal intensity and craft before Terrified explores similarly dark corners and textures within its drifting sonic winds; nightmare and alluring intimation embracing each other’s contrasting hues. Even with Berlin’s tones a safe caress if succubus like in the haunting embrace, the track disturbs as it seduces while The Night Growls prowls the same mental landscape with predatory intent with Wallbridge’s tones in turn a dark protagonist in suffocating aural and emotive fog. Both tracks simply bewitched the senses and festered in the imagination, the Nine Inch Nails toned latter especially irresistible as it consumed with voracious, tenebrous temptation.
beauty hued dual vocal hug of Foley and Francis, their harmonies and soothing deliveries an exceptional temptation into the heart of the song and release. With great ambling rhythms skirting their every syllable, the song expands its melodic ambient delivering arms, expelling a flame of sonic imagination and breath-taking invention. Through its eventful soundscape the guitars and vocals lead thoughts through evolving incitement whilst the brass stroking of the ear only enhances the depth and potent colour of the bewitchment. It is simply a spellbinding experience.