Edmonton, Alberta may not be the Emerald City, but after listening to this album, you�d think this place was a cornucopia of inspiration. Veil Maker�s debut is a description of this particular patch of earth, containing five songs totaling thirty two minutes.
This CD does not fit easily into the modern indie spectrum. Thank God too; I was kinda getting bored of everything else. Finally, we have a work of artistic rock that is intelligent, emotive, and long without being overlookable, monotonous, or self-indulgent. I would describe this as impressionist progressive rock.
I can see Veil Maker fitting in quite well with the ranks of bands like Isis, Sigur R�s, and Pelican. Maybe even with some of Tool�s less metal works. Basically, this is a collection of songs that lie within a general concept (the �desolate landscape of Edmonton�). Each song shape-shifts unexpectedly but congruously. Time signatures change, guitar effects are thrown in and out, whale-song-like tones and feedback are constantly manipulated subtly in the background, and all of this works towards a whole realm of impression. What Hopesfall�s Satellite Years did for the cosmos, Veil Maker�s EP does for the landscape of Edmonton.
There is an ample amount of vocal work on this record as well, although it is not frequently the focus. The singer�s voice reminds me of the singer of Default if the singer of Default had the ability to vocally explore. Veil Maker�s vocals seem to complement the instrumental textures most of the time. The downside to this, though, is that the lyrics are for the most part ignorable.
This album is not all that easy to absorb. It is a wonderful listen though. Combined with the album art, these songs are incredibly visual. Although most of the guitar lines and drum patterns are not mind-blowingly complex, the structuring and layering of each complete song is worth a thousand words. Veil Maker has definitely challenged themselves to create something beautiful and progressive. Obviously, they succeeded.
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C.L. '06 |
