Yarostan - II

Labels: Araki Records/Bus Stop Press/Crapoulet Records/Hardcore Fore The Losers/Saka Cost/Seaside Suicide Records/Seitan's Hell Bike Punks/Self-Released/Yoyodyne Records/Dingleberry Records

Formats: Vinyl/CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 04 Apr 2022

Tracklist:

1. Minéral 

2. Les Maines Vides

3. Jouer Dans Les Ruines

4. Aux Miroirs Brisés

5. L'attente A Fait Un Désert Des Jardins De Notre Jeunesse

They say tiredness can kill and they're right. Thankfully though, the only thing it's killing right now is my energy. I'll get it back though and music always helps. French post-hardcore quintet Yarostan's second album II was released last April by the band on CD and digitally, as well as on vinyl by all of the lovely labels mentioned above. I first learned about Yarostan on the CINQ 5-way split LP from ZBR. It backed up what I already new about the French heavy music community, who have been ever so supportive since the inception of this blog.

If you want dramatic post-hardcore then venture no further than Yarostan and II. Opener ‘Minéral’ has all kinds of musical elements flowing through it, from heavy hardcore instrumentation and harsh screams to emotive clean singing from multiple vocalists. Something a little different then, especially given the softer edges of their sound. Post-hardcore seems to shapeshift into post-metal on ‘Les Mains Vides’ and in doing so, it paints a picture of a band that is comfortable wherever they sit musically. Oddly there’s some viking/folk metal-esque riffing and melody that follows the dark, angry opening bars (you’ll get what I mean here if you listen closely). The mid-section is filled with extremely well-written instrumental music before Yarostan reels you back in with a final blast of post-metal. Like the album’s opener, it’s a proper journey.

‘Jouer Dans Les Ruines’ ebbs and flows between melody, harshness and introspection. The expansive nature of Yarostan’s music is clearer with every passing second here. I don’t know if this is something they aspire too but I can totally see them on the roster of a label like Pelagic Records sometime in the future. They’d be a great addition if so. The last two songs on II pass the ten-minute mark and ‘Aux Miroirs Brisés’ is an ambient number at first before growing in layers and intensity, becoming something more familiar but with a sinister twist. The sound of what could be an organ or ghostly synths can be heard within the mix, adding haunting warmth. The musical movements that Yarostan go through during all of their songs are something to behold but here, they really seem to flourish.

‘L’attente A Fait Un Désert Des Jardins De Notre Jeunesse’ closes out the album with a bang. That bang was pretty instant and it led to something much bigger. Progression is a term that’s thrown around a lot (by me included) but it feels like Yarostan have really embraced it here, where sludge-like riffs rub shoulders with their now familiar clean vocals, while off-kilter dissonance jolts you one last time. I honestly don’t know how to end this review. Yarostan’s unique approach to post-hardcore is filled with genuine affection and a clear sense of musical enjoyment. Merci Yarostan, tu es parfait. 

You can purchase II on all formats (including on tape, which I failed to mention above) via Yarostan's bandcamp page below:-

Copies can also be purchased from the labels below:-

Araki Records - https://arakirecords.bandcamp.com/

Crapoulet Records - https://crapouletrecords.limitedrun.com/

Hardcore Fore The Losers - https://hardcoreforthelosers.bandcamp.com/

Saka Cost - https://sakacost.bandcamp.com/

Seitan's Hell Bike Punks - https://seitanshellbikepunks.bandcamp.com/

Dingleberry Records - https://www.discogs.com/seller/dingleberryrecords/profile

Araki Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile

Bus Stop Press - http://busstoppress.weebly.com

Crapoulet Records - https://www.facebook.com/Crapouletrecords

Hardcore Fore The Losers - https://www.facebook.com/HardcoreForTheLosers/

Saka Cost - https://www.facebook.com/saka.cost

Seaside Suicide Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile

Seitan's Hell Bike Punks - https://www.facebook.com/seitanshellbikepunks

Yoyodyne Records - https://yoyodynerecords.com

Dingleberry Records - https://www.facebook.com/profile