Review Summary: Deafheaven-worship... with a twist.
When Deafheaven’s
Sunbather was released in mid-2013, it almost immediately spawned an entire wave of copycat acts wishing to get in on the action. An interesting aspect to this was how each group seemingly took something different from the album, with some aping nothing more than its now iconic cover art, others using the “happy” post-rock melodies or psychedelic shoegaze aesthetic, and some even going as far as to try and recreate
Sunbather entirely (I’m looking at you, Ghost Bath…).
The Long Dark Road’s 2017 self-titled EP is another example of a group being inspired by Deafheaven’s sound, as apparently the project was born the same day vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Cavan heard
Sunbather for the first time. He felt that it broke down the barriers that had previously deterred him from writing music inspired by black metal. This can definitely be heard across the record, but it is arguable whether
The Long Dark Road could even be considered to be black metal at all.
The EP opens with “The Tragedy of the Commons”, which is probably the most blackgaze-esque song to be found here. In fact, its opening riff distinctly mirrors that ever-popular one from “Dream House”, so much so that there might be some eye-rolling initially for first time listeners. However, it isn’t long before subtle differences begin to make themselves apparent. The most notable difference in style is the use of melodic vocals, in some ways similar to the kind of melodic shouting that Tim McIlrath (Rise Against) or Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) use on many of their songs. And yet, there is still another
Sunbather comparison to be made, with the song taking a tonal shift halfway through, eerily similar to the midway shift halfway through that album’s title track. It’s shameless borrowing, but it’s well executed at least. The final third of the song finally breaks away from the Deafheaven comparisons, as it goes into a slow and heavy breakdown that leads the song into its conclusion of static ambience.
“I Will Follow” starts off in a completely different vein, with Mike Patton-esque vocals and a more alternative metal / rock feel than what has come before. The song eventually breaks into a quiet section, with some gently picked electric guitar providing a bit of respite, before gloriously bursting into a barrage of blastbeats and a return of the instrumental section from the first half. It brings the song full circle and this is certainly a more unique sound than what we heard on the opener. Meanwhile, “The State of Our Union” is somewhat reminiscent of System of a Down – one certainly cannot say that The Long Dark Road don’t wear their influences on their sleeve – and continues the more alternative metal feel of the previous track. Black metal elements do make a late return, with blastbeats and tremolo picking, before the song ends rather strangely with some bass and the sound of children in the background.
The EP ends with the song named after the band themselves, and it certainly presents the most diverse offering on the release. Again, The Long Dark Road prove themselves to be master imitators, with an impressive David Gilmour impersonation shortly after the 2 minute mark before the song then flits between alternative metal and lightning-paced blastbeats. At about 4 minutes everything becomes near-silent, and is the start of a 6 minute long instrumental build-up to the track’s conclusion. It’s a patient crescendo but it lacks a bit in the ‘epic’ department.
The Long Dark Road does not shy away from revealing the artists that inspired it, which sometimes results in it all sounding a little too familiar for comfort. Seasoned listeners of modern rock and metal will hear plenty of recognisable elements, which is simultaneously distracting but also fun and enjoyable too. It would be great to see the framework laid down here turned into a more distinct sound of their own, as the potential is certainly there for exciting releases in future.
