Bands go through changes, and sometimes those changes bring out the best version of themselves. Sojourner has been through some lineup changes, yet their new album Gateways is probably their best yet. It launches on July 10th.
Sojourner comes to us from various places, namely New Zealand, Sweden, and Italy. They’re one of those bands that simply wouldn’t exist before Internet collaboration was possible. They’ve had multiple lineup changes, the most potent of which is the “siren” vocalist, changing from Chloe Bray to Lucia Amelia Emmanueli and now to Heike Langhans (ex-Draconian, Remina, Light Field Reverie, Lor3L3i). The rest of the lineup includes Emilio Crespo on harsh vox, Mike Lamb on guitars, Mike Wilson on bass, and Riccardo Floridia on drums.
The band plays an atmospheric and gothic form of black metal. It is highly melodic and soaring, towering towards the horizon dawn, if you know what I mean. It hovers in light and beauty with keys and strings, even while the guitars and harsh vox contrast those things with brutal assault. They are really good at combining heavy technicality with peaceful, almost serene melodies. It is a study on greater splendor rising from diverse elements.
Heike is one of my favorite vocalists, so obviously adding her is a huge plus for me. Her voice pierces the dark riffs with clarity and emotion. I’ve grown to like Emilio’s style of harsh vox quite a bit; I like that you can decipher every word he says and that he sounds pretty unique in his category. They play off each other so well.
Gateways has seven tracks and I honestly favor the second half. In the first half, we start with the gorgeous opener “Dawnrays”, full of delicate piano and emotion; it feels tender even with how heavy it is. “And the Paintings Fall” comes next and is a perfect example of the band’s blend of lush melodies and emotional urgency with roaring, heavy tones. We also get “Lunar Tear”, one of the more vulnerable moments on the album lyrically, and “Occultation”, a heavy and fast piece with lots of Heike vocals and some very sweet riffs.
The last three tracks are like a one-two-three punch. “Epitaphs” comes first and has such elegance to it. There are moments of ambient reflection, full of shadowy and breathy resolve, and I love how the main melody is quite whimsical and flows gently. My favorite track “Vvardenfell” follows, and I believe is named after the volcanic island in Elders Scrolls III: Morrowind. This song changes the pace, featuring delicate keys and a spacious atmosphere that reminds me of the Elder Scrolls score ever so slightly, and then comes the flute and percussion to sweeten the deal even more. The song has a surging energy, still somehow fantastical and storied, and I simply love the overall feeling of the piece.
The final track is “The Road Ahead” and it’s a beauty. I love how hesitant it feels at first, and the sincere, expressive vocal performance from Heike in the second half, combined with lovely violins, is simply breathtaking. Such a terrific close to the record.
Sojourner has another amazing record on their hands, and I think it’s their best so far. I adore how they combine such exquisite tones and gothic ambience with a heavy wall of black metal, but the mix never betrays them, never washes out or becomes white noise. The layers here offer more every time you listen. Black metal fans need to hear this.
_______________
Find Sojourner online:
_______________
_______________
The PROG Mind 