KRAKOW (Diin) CD
My first impression of Krakow was that these guys are playing a strenuous mix of Post Rock, Sludge and Black Metal at times. Especially the harsh screams remind of the most famous musical export of their country Norway. The info says the band toured with a few Black Metal bands already. I am not really up to date with the current Metal scene and especially not with the Black Metal scene anymore. I wonder if the scene is already tolerant enough for this. Though I can hear some parts at least in the music of Krakow, where the guitar gets a bit of the grim coldness of the Black Metal sound. The atmophere the band creates should go down well with the open-minded Black Metal head as well I guess, and Post Rock-fans should definitely give this experimental band a chance.
I have to admit that I am not a big fan of Post Rock, but this mix is quite okay. This is not exactly like Isis or Neurosis, but the guys from Bergen can write an interesting song and work well with harmony and disharmony. Sure, I like them best when they get a little more sludgy like in the groovy 'Omen', but I do not like to do the band injustice. The general sound of the band works out well. I like experimental bands and Krakow do experiment a lot. Sometimes it works better, sometimes less. There are parts like in 'Mound', where the band jams some ethereal sounds over the same riff for too long. But as the track is 12 minutes long it grows to strengths as it progresses.
Not all songs are filled up with a lot of soundscapes and experiments to explore. After 5 songs like that, track 6 named 'Possessed' tries to get more straight into your face and mind with Hardcore riffs and Emocore vocals, you know the mix between clean and harsh singing. This song is the one extreme side of the band. The other would be the calm and jazzy moments of 'Omen' or the quite moments in the last one 'Sense Of Space'. I guess Post Rock fans should give this album a try. I think it is good and Post Rock is is definitely not my favourtie genre.
(Thorsten Frahling)