It's hard to like an album which opens with ten seconds of ethereal breeze noises. That's 'clichéd'.It's hard to like an album when, less than a minute in, you're already trying to figure out which other bands it's supposed to sound like. That's 'generic'.
It's hard to like an album when the opening track's title contains a word you last read in a Harry Potter book. That's 'unimaginative'.
It's hard to like unimaginative, generic clichés. But then, worthwhile things are never easy.
At an hour long, and split unevenly between the two bands which bear its name, Come Across Trachimbrod & Marasme is an eight track showcase of the sort you'd expect from a hybrid world of post-rock and progressive metal. Such ordinariness pervades even unto the content - at least superficially - with Come Across Trachimbrod's meandering riffs straying dangerously close to the predictable, and Marasme's grimy veneer exuding a very vanilla brand of menace.
Is this so terrible though? Anyone indulging a passing interest in We vs Death or Red Sparrowes will find Come Across Trachimbrod a perfectly adequate Swedish counterpart with enough trilling reverb duets and drum-led crescendos to satisfy, if not inspire. Marasme, too, languish comfortably in that broad sweet spot mid-way between King X and Opeth, an unquestionably successful sound which may briefly entertain any casual listener.
The casual listener, though, is missing out.
The success of this album is to be found in the consummate, complete, and entrancingly precise construction of each track, and the record as a whole. Every change of chord, each acceleration of tempo, descending bass arrival or burst of static feel painstakingly engineered and placed; the irreducible concision a testament to mature musical restraint. Take the closing moments of 10 minute extravaganza Time Will Fall into Oblivion, as the chatter of cymbals rises through an inexorably psychedelic guitar-wail collapse, gracefully washing in the lusciously complex and multi-layered I Don't Even Know How I Got Here. Building stark contrast between textural richness and startling brevity, the composed manner in which Come Across Trachimbrod flicker seamlessly between tortured scream and chamber-choir malaise in Patterns Are Folorn is bested only by Marasme's assertive self-awareness in opener Mirroir. Distortion delivering clarity, double-time pedal drums a gleeful thunder, Flames closes out the hour with a burning intensity that makes you hungry to hear both bands again.
'Showcase' is still a backhanded comment, if only because it doesn't quite stretch to 'masterclass'. And 'masterclass' this very nearly is, stopped just short by both bands' eagerness to pay homage to their heroes, blurring that fine line between a song being 'just right' and 'just like someone else's song'. It's only the tiniest of nagging worries, but it's enough to put the record off balance, even in its most dazzling moments. If this is a distraction you can ignore, on the other hand, then this album should be one hell of a treat.
"I want you to tell the people the truth" quotes Marasme's hurried voice-over on Mirroir, "not an easy thing to do because people don't wanna know the truth." Seeking out the gilt edges of this release's hidden brilliant won't be easy either. But it's worth all the effort.
Come Across Trachimbrod & Marasme (Split CD) is out now via Against It Records.
For more of the same, check out http://www.myspace.com/comeacrosstrachimbrod and http://www.myspace.com/marasme
RH
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