Wednesday 3 November 2021

Lentic Waters - The Path


Labels: Deadwood Records/IFB Records/Maniyax Records/React With Protest/Suspended Soul Tapes And Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 18 Jul 2015


Tracklist:


1. Absent

2. A Temporary Quest

3. Another Sleepless Night Of Despair

4. Exile

5. Glasshouse

6. The Hour

7. Between The Spheres

8. The Grid

9. Abyss


Those early dark November nights are beginning to kick in already. I've never suffered from S.A.D (Seasonal Affective Disorder) before but at times like these, I can understand and sympathise with those who do. My escapism, if you can call it that, is the cathartic release brought on by heavy music and this evening I'm focusing on the second full-length by Lentic Waters. The Path was released in 2015 by all of the labels mentioned above.


Intense German hardcore/screamo is the exact remedy after an underwhelming day and Lentic Waters provide a cacophony of sound on album opener ‘Absent’, with it’s sludgy, dark hardcore mixing with earthy post-rock and even song black metal elements. The riffs, like with a lot of screamo-leaning bands lead the way but the whole band pulls together seamlessly to create an atmosphere and a sound that isn’t necessarily what you think of when you think of Bands from Germany. By that I mean they’re not cold or industrial (at this point I want to apologise for generalising).


They get heavier on ‘A Temporary Quest’, which plays more to their screamo influences, while also giving a nod to crust punk too. I’m sure I’ve said that about Lentic Waters before, but If I haven’t then let it stand. It’s all in the blasts I think, though it’s also so much more than that. There’s real heart here. There’s no pause for breath before ‘Another Sleepless Night Of Despair’ drags you through nearly three minutes of emotional anguish and furious instrumentation that leaves no time for peace or solace. It’s a musical tapestry woven in the best way possible.


‘Exile’ is the shortest song that Lentic Waters deliver on The Path and it’s off-kilter rhythms make this instrumental a joy to listen to. It threatens time and time again to explode into a melee of emoviolence-esque proportions, but alas it does not. What it does do, after a brief pause, is guide you on to the corresponding song ‘Glasshouse’, which takes the raw energy of Lentic Waters and stretches it out a little further. In doing so it reminds me of bands like Anopheli, Light Bearer and Alpinist. All bands that, to these ears anyway, straddle a similar path musically. 


The album becomes denser as it progresses to the second half, but before that, Lentic Waters propel themselves headfirst into the grindiest (if thats even a word) song on it in the form of ‘The Hour’. It’s tempo is the fastest you’ll hear on The Path and it introduces you to the band’s more unrelenting, unforgiving side. Brilliant from start to end. From that exhilaration you’re brought back down to earth with the more toned-down post-rock of ‘Between The Spheres’. It’s where the melodies woven by the band truly stand out and it’s the point where I forget where I am, letting the music take me, my head aggressively moving back and forth in abandon. It’s so bloody euphoric. I prefer being in my own world as opposed to the outside world at times like this!


The ringing feedback is both welcomed and revered as it bleeds into penultimate song ‘The Grid’, where the post-rock just gets better and better. The vocals are even more emotive, the riffs flit between downbeat and upbeat melodies, while the bass rumbles and the percussion brays. Yet I fear the best is still yet to come from this album. Never has there been a better closing song-title than ‘Abyss’ and, maybe unknowingly, that’s exactly where this album drags you back from (figuratively speaking). It’s near six-minute playing time wrenches whatever darkness there is left inside of you and replaces it with light. Sometime, music like this does that to you and when it catches you at the right time, it’s utterly amazing.


Saying much more now would be a waste of energy. The Path is truly special and Lentic Waters, while currently silent, are just perfect on their recordings. 


You can stream and purchase the album digitally from the band below:-



Lentic Waters - https://www.facebook.com/LenticWaters


Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-


Deadwood Records - https://www.deadwoodrecords.de/

React With Protest - http://www.reactwithprotest.org/

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL -  http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/zegema-beach-releases


Deadwood Records - https://www.facebook.com/deadwoodrecords

IFB Records - http://ifbrecords.blogspot.com

Maniyax Records - https://www.facebook.com/ManiyaxRecords

Suspended Soul Tapes And Records - https://www.facebook.com/SuspendedSoulTapesRecords

Zegema Beach Records -  https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords

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