I reviewed an album from a band named Midas Fall back in 2018. I’ve followed them ever since, and they’ve released some singles and covers over the years. I was happy to see a new album formulated this year, though, called Cold Waves Divide Us. It released on March 8th.
Midas Fall are five albums in now. They’ve been at it for almost 15 years. I’ve really enjoyed the ways they’ve evolved through the years, too. The current lineup includes Elizabeth Heaton on vocals, guitars, strings, synths, piano, and drums; Rowan Burn on guitars, synths, piano, and drums; Michael Hamilton on bass, synths, and drums. As you can tell, they really share the load across the whole band.
They play music that is both simple and also difficult to label. Their 2018 album Evaporate was more electronic and less post-rock. This album is more post-rock and ambient prog rock, and less electronic, though it is still present. The album is full of warm ambience, and when they choose to utilize a crescendo, they make the most of it rather than throwing one in every track. Though there is less electronic, the atmosphere of the album is very much in the ambient vein of things with hushed vocals, hovering whispers, and emotive guitars.
Cold Waves Divide Us, pure and simple, has great songwriting. The band doesn’t have the flash of other groups because they do not need it. Their melodies, choruses, and instrumental portions are all well-written, and their lyrics are meaningful and beautiful. There isn’t a bad song on the album, and time and again I’m reminded while I’m listening of just how brilliant much of it is.
I’ll admit that the first half is my favorite, though both halves are wonderful. I absolutely adore the opening piece “In the Morning We’ll Be Someone Else”; it has such a sense of beginnings and longings, but also a powerful atmosphere with dark riffs and haunting vocals. It is such a great start. But then another favorite appears, being “I Am Wrong”. This song has a great chorus, thundering drums, and shoegazing guitars, and I’m sold by this point. The hovering beauty “Salt” and the ambient ballad “In This Avalanche” only further my love for this album; the latter has one of the best choruses on the album.
The first half ends with an incredible instrumental piece, “Point of Diminishing Return”, a searing work with lots of electronic accents and towering guitars creating a fire in its belly. I love how it surges and wanes and has such elegant force. The second half begins with “Monsters”, a single with some of the best lyrics and vocals on the record. I love it.
The second half continues in a more electronic or atmospheric direction. “Atrophy” is downtempo and dark, and hovers as if on the edge of your peripheral vision. The title track is a beauty with its slow burning intensity and earnest melody. “Little Wooden Boxes” brings back the drums and the riffs, but only after building a spacious and cosmic stage. Finally, “Mute” brings us one last crescendo that feels gritty and somehow also pure. I love this ending.
Midas Fall are back and their music sounds more developed than ever. They have a sense of sobriety and meaning in their sound, and their music is warm and inviting and delicious. I love this album, and I bet it will continue to grow on me even more.
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Find Midas Fall online:
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The PROG Mind 