Anches En Maat＜Black Ice Vinyl＞

HOLY SONS名義やOMにも関わるマルチ・インストルメンタリストEMIL AMOSとギタリストALEX HALL率いるオレゴン州ポートランドのインストルメンタル・ロック・バンド、GRAILS。2017年作『CHALICE HYMNAL』以来となるニューアルバムをTEMPORARY RESIDENCELTD. よりLPリリース。
ヘヴィなサイケデリック・ロックやオルタナ度高めのドゥームメタル的要素をベースに1980年代ソフトコア・ポルノのサウンド・トラック、コズミック・ミニマリズム、ウエスタン、そしてメランコリックなエレクトロニック・パルスを盛り込んだインストルメンタル作品となっています。

For Grails eighth studio album, founding members Alex Hall and Emil Amos are joined by longtime contributor Jesse Bates and new associates Ilyas Ahmed and A.E. Paterra (Zombi, Majeure). Anches en Maat was recorded by the full band in Atlanta, unlike many of their previous albums, which were recorded by the isolated musicians and pieced together in post-production. Like their preceding records, Anches en Maat evokes soundtracks and library music more than rock influences. The arrangements are filled with swooping strings recalling 70s disco as well as daytime dramas. A few soaring guitar lines poke through during tracks like the opener "Sad & Illegal," but the rainy day mood is largely constructed through the strings, crashing drums, and gloomy, atmospheric synths. "Viktors Night Map" is heavier on electronics, particularly in the flickering drum machines and percolating sequences. The gentle piano melodies and soft rock guitars of "Evening Song" seem to signal a sort of turning point, as if the protagonist of the drama has come to an important realization. "Black Rain" is filled with glowing, rapidly trickling electronics that sometimes sound like harpsichords, and it becomes overwhelmed with swarming distortion. The concluding title track is a 12-minute drift which has a few breezy yet majestic sections, as well as a saxophone shivering in a haunting, foggy landscape. Anches en Maat isnt one of Grails more intense records, but it does a fine job of capturing the certain type of melancholy cinematic vibe that theyve been exploring for much of their career. ~ Paul Simpson