Occasionally when times are bleak, you aren’t in need of messages of hope in the art you consume, merely the comforting knowledge that others have been there too. Right now, the world is going through a tough, bleak time with nothing on the horizon but uncertainty. In the midst of this comes the new record from Kent trio Coldbones, and though it was recorded before the current situation, its desolate soundscapes seem apt for these times.
These compositions were intended to soundtrack a different kind of devastation, though, namely the one being wrought on the natural world around us. In this light, the band’s lack of vocals is especially apposite, suggesting a future where mankind has succumbed to the effects of a rapidly changing climate. The band’s fears for the future shine through in the apocalyptic scale of their ambitious music, but its engaging nature makes it strangely inviting in spite of this.
Improving noticeably upon 2018’s Where It All Began, a promising debut if there ever was one, The Cataclysm shows them to be a band that has all but mastered the subtle art of post-rock. The dynamic builds, the vast but brooding atmosphere, the expansive weight of the crescendos – it’s all inch-perfect. But the band aren’t resting on those well-deserved laurels either, introducing touches of post-punk (‘Collapse’) and prog (‘The Burning Of The Earth’).
The Cataclysm isn’t here to cheer us up, but in its evocative portrayal of the end days, it does feel like an understanding arm around the shoulder in these troubled times. The cover art shows flaming meteors descending on a barren Earth – a powerful image, and one that is backed up by the ambitious music within.
The Cataclysm is out now on Dunk!records. Order here.
Words: George Parr
