I’ve reviewed some releases from Echoviolet in the past but that Echoviolet are gone, this is the new Echoviolet. The band have taken some time to explore a new direction, acquired a new vocalist. And here we are with a new single.
‘Necromancy’ is heavy – churning riffs, guitars turned up to 11. It sits somewhat in the intersection between melodic metal and heavy alt-rock. Yep, it does that quiet/;pud thing – you get this is relatively speaking – but the guitars are louder, the drums are pounded harder than alt-rock. There’s probably a name for the genre but I’m not about genres right now.
What I’m about is the sheer power of the track, because it has that. But also the beauty of the quieter bits. These showcase the vocals of new singer Lamece Varley. These go from a barely heard whisper, build and then go stratospheric in the loud bits.
Yes, this track is heavy but come closer my friends for there is something going on here. And that something is what I’m going to call a specialness in the arrangement. There are sounds here that surprise, sounds that compel. There are sawing string sounds, things that sound like backing vocals but may be synth sounds and a simply astonishing variety of guitar sounds. This isn’t just mindless riffage but a track that’s composed. There is obvious musical ability at work here.
‘Necromancy’ rocks, but it rocks with musical cleverness. A cleverness which is all about feel and atmosphere. And it’s this which raises it above the average, makes it so compelling and so fucking good. OK, so crank it up, rock out, but then listen again more closely and be amazed. This is music for the head as well as headbanging. This new direction for Echoviolet is shaping up to be a bloody good one.
The info
The band are recently acquired lead singer Lamece Varley from Halifax, Rowan Minnis on Guitar from Bradford, Lee Cudwoth on bass guitar from York and Ethan Swales on the
drum kit from Wakefield.
