We Watch Clouds - Resumé

Labels: Arkan Records/D.I.Y Kolo Records/Wungiel Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: CD/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 25 Aug 2017

Tracklist:

1. Dissemination (Intro)

2. Heavy Rain Over Mariampole

3. Tom Curse

4. Euphorically - Disphoric

5. Dyslalia

6. Dandruff

7. Anhedonia

I've been looking forward to this evening and being able to get my teeth into something a bit lengthier. It's time for another Zegema Beach Roster review, where I make my way up the label's bandcamp page from bottom to top and right to left. It's a long process but discovering bands this way (admittedly bands that I should already be well aware of) is a lot of fun and tonight I bring you Polish screamo/hardcore band We Watch Clouds and their 2017 release Resumé. This was their third release that I'm aware of, but as luck would have it, there's a new album due imminently!

My timing with this review wasn’t planned but sometimes things do sort of fall into place. Revisiting  Resumé prior to the new album seems apt and ‘Dissemination (Intro)’ is every bit the atmospheric, anticipation building opener. Instrumental until the final bars, it doesn’t give too much away regarding the full intent of We Watch Clouds, but that’s not too far off as ‘Heavy Rain Over Mariampole’ greets you with a subtle sludge-like build-up that’s followed by technical, mathy screamo with emoviolence at it’s core. Raw and incredibly emotive, it strikes you in the most perfect way.

From here on there’s a lot more urgency from We Watch Clouds, as demonstrated on ’Tom Curse’. It’s percussion is audibly louder and the screams are more piercing, up against the backdrop of dissonant, feedback-ridden guitars. It just goes to show that songs don’t need to last long to create an impression. With that being said though, ‘Euphorically - Disphoric’ is a beautifully melodic song with emo in all that right places. It builds on everything that’s good about We Watch Clouds, from the layered sounds to the intense feeling that their songs create. 

The next two songs come and go with absolutely no warning. ‘Dyslalia’ is pure caustic emoviolence at it’s best while ‘Dandruff’ doesn’t deviate from that path, except for moments of glorious art-rock inspired guitar. Album closer ‘Anhedonia’ comes around way to quickly and with it, We Watch Clouds produce both their heaviest and their most majestic song here. It really draws out all of the emotions from every member of the band and transfers them to you as the listener. 

Resumé takes you on a journey that’s unexpected. As a whole it works so well and also offers perspective, which is surprising. As somebody who wants to wave goodbye to the small and negative aspects of daily life,  this release gives me hope. If you’ve slept on this album and feel the need to cleanse, now is the time. Positive vibes only.

You can stream and purchase Resumé digitally below:-

You can keep updated with news of the new album via the band's Facebook page here:-

We Watch Clouds - https://www.facebook.com/wewatchclouds

I'm not aware of any physical cd or tape copies that are still available, but the below labels may still be able to point you in the right direction:-

Arkan Records - https://www.facebook.com/arkanrecords/

D.I.Y Kolo Records - https://www.facebook.com/DIYKoloRecords

Wungiel Records - https://www.facebook.com/WungielRecords

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

Sarin - Darker Lakes

Labels: Arkan Records/Dead Punx Records/Dingleberry Records/R.I.P In Peace Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 25 Jul 2017

Tarcklist:

1. Ice Wrought

2. Amber Guide

3. Darker Lakes I: Moraine

4. Embers Circling Downwards

5. Darker Lakes II: Crater

6. Bloom

7. Ocean Burn

8. Darker Lakes III: Glacial

9. Low Moon

It seems that I'm (unconsciously) focusing on Canadian bands right now. I mean Schedule 1, Terry Green and Seven Nines And Tens all come from Canada (three out of the last five bands I've reviewed, if I'm correct!). Make that four out of the last six with Toronto, Ontario's Sarin. This is also the latest in my ZBR roster review series and focuses on their 2017 full-length Darker Lakes, which turned out to be the last before they went on to work with Prosthetic Records, though ZBR's sister label Tomb Tree did release their follow-up You Can't Go Back on tape in 2021, the same year it was released via Prosthetic on LP/CD.

Somebody needs to update Sarin’s Discogs entry for this release, as it says there are only six track on the record when there are nine. I guess whoever wrote it ignored their ‘Darker Lakes’ trilogy here. Sarin are a self-proclaimed doomgaze/shoegaze band, which are also sub-genres that I’ve been delving into recently. Album opener ‘Ice Wrought’ is a very grandiose song, with mountains of riffs, lingering feedback and dramatic percussion. The mix of clean and harsh vocals compliment each other perfectly and help to open up the album even at this early stage. 

On ‘Amber Guide’, you’re whisked off to a dreamy island at first before reality comes crashing back down again in the form of truly crushing dissonance. It’s way more doom-like when the heaviness kicks in but it’s punctuated for large passages by more gentle instrumentation. The vocals sit deeper within the harsh parts, making it a song of true twists, turns and introspection. 

The first of the album’s ‘Darker Lakes’ trilogy comes in the form of ‘I: Moraine’ and it’s a haunting instrumental complete with whispered, unnerving vocal tones. It breaks up album but doesn’t break up the mood at all. Sarin has garnered a lot of praise for this album and it’s easy to see why. As a band, they’re not afraid to step out of the shadows to create music that crosses over into more mainstream alternative echelons. You might get a sense of that on ‘Embers Circling Downwards’ (despite my attempt at using more words than were needed in the previous sentence). Either way, what is true is just how good it sounds.

‘II: Crater’ is the second of the ‘Darker Lakes’ trilogy and once again in proves to be fraught with danger as it’s bass-heavy, sample-laden tones ring out and guide you into ‘Bloom’, which signals the album’s second half. As it started, it continues with clean vocals and a distant, almost grunge-like atmosphere. No gloom though, just waves of sound that herald a slower burning side to Sarin. Rhythmically on point and led by a rumbling low-end, it promises no safe haven while still inviting you into the sheltered bay with it’s siren song. 

You get a feel that the album is coming to a close with ‘Ocean Burn’ but don’t be fooled, it’s a long way from over yet. The spacial atmosphere of the song looms large as the layers build and the anticipation fizzes along with Sarin’s post-metal majesty. The final part of the ‘Darker Lakes’ trilogy, ‘III: Glacial’, feels just that. Not cold in any way but truly expansive and awe inspiring for such a short song, as it leads into album closer ‘Low Moon’.

Ending with a ten+ minute number is genius because it allows you to cling onto Sarin’s beauty for a little longer than you otherwise might have. I realise that this review has turned into a bit of a mammoth read, but I regret nothing. Music (and writing about it here) are the only things truly sustaining my interest right now (aside from my family and friends of course). Overall, ‘Low Moon’ mainly exists in instrumental form, with sporadically used vocals. That’s perfectly fine as it allows their breadth of song-writing skill to really shine through.

Five years may have passed since this release but it still stands up hella well today and deserves all of the praise it gets. Sarin may have fallen off people’s radars recently but I hope that this review might draw people back to them. Fantastic from beginning to end!

You can stream and purchase Darker Lakes digitally from Sarin below:-

Physical copies are still available from the labels below:-

R.I.P In Peace Records - https://ripinpeacerecords.storenvy.com/

Zegema Beach Records USA Store - https://zbrusa.com/collections/zbr-releases/products/sarin-darker-lakes-12

Arkan Records - https://www.facebook.com/arkanrecords/

Dead Punx Records - https://www.facebook.com/deadpunxrecords

Dingleberry Records and Distribution - https://www.facebook.com/

R.I.P In Peace Records - https://www.facebook.com/r.i.p.inpeacerecords

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