Soreeyes sit in the metalgaze/shoegaze camp, which is a sub-genre that I’ve been enjoying more and more. Opener ‘Drenched’ is woven with gentle melodies, hypnotic tempos and harsh vocals that are surrounded by the instrumentation, as if they’re being hugged and held by the secure arms of a loved one. There’s a doom-like intro to ‘Dead Before Living’, which retains a similar tempo throughout. The way that Runa weaves all of the different elements together here is so skilful, especially as it sounds so natural. The main focus of my attention during this song is the guitar work, as the lead is used heavily throughout to provide melody and solo-esque vibes. It’s shorter than the album’s opener but as such, it has more impact.
‘Low’ borrows more from black metal, but only subtly. The percussion takes more of a lead, which is perfect because the song seems to come from a heavier place, especially where the vocals are concerned. It matches it’s title for sure, in terms of mood and atmosphere. At times when Runa is singing it reminds me a bit of Emma Ruth Rundle, especially during ‘Beside Me’, which is the shortest song on Sleep Waves and acts as a bridge between ‘Low’ and penultimate song ‘Rainy Days’.
‘Rainy Days’ exhibits all that is good about metalgaze/shoegaze to me, in the same way that Astronoid’s music does. That’s not a bad musical comparison, though it’s not meant to be a close one as Soreeyes is an original project and not a copyist. The album comes to an end with title-track ‘Sleep Waves’, which is the noisiest and most maddening song here. Filled with feedback, rumbling bass and unsettling atmosphere, it could be the musical equivalent of being trapped in a nightmare (maybe?). The description on the bandcamp page says that Sleep Waves should be listened to at very loud volume. Doing so really brings it to life, especially during this final song.
It’s clear that Sleep Waves was written and performed with a lot of emotion, which comes across in the music. As with all art, it can be interpreted in different ways but when listening to it as a singular entity, it’s clear that Soreeyes merely make’s music for herself. That’s how it should be in the end. Compliments must also go to Morbid And Miserable Records for championing a band so local to them. I for one will be checking out more bands from Ohio (USA) now.
You can stream and purchase Sleep Waves digitally from Soreeyes below:-
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