Austere are a 5-piece band from Bristol; self-proclaimed creators of progressive Post-Rock music with a Metal, Indie and Shoegaze influence. I checked out a video on Youtube showcasing talented young drummer Joe Kelly in the studio playing along to snippets of two of their tracks, ‘Greenfingers’ and ‘Casserole’, from the forthcoming album. It’s a short but well-executed taster with which to get a feel for the sounds the group have to offer and their technicality as musicians.
Coming right at you, the implication is that both songs at their full length are epic and technical. Within the clip is an evident keenness to exhibit the different aspects of their genre-merging style and it’s a strong indicator of their musical talents. ‘Greenfingers’ is very noticeably influenced by the post-rock genre which sprang up in the 1990s and found mainstream success with the work of the likes of Sigur Ros and Mogwai. For me the instrumental band Explosions In The Sky instantly sprung to mind as an influence; prompted by the melodic, dual guitar harmonies. Throughout the track a haunting but relaxed use of tremolo picking is accompanied by a warm bass underneath, the soft but technical drums driving the whole thing along. A progressive element shows up in the non-linear structure, about a minute and a half in, when the song suddenly takes an interesting free-form jazz style turn – accompanied impressively by Kelly again with his rolling drum fills.
‘Casserole’ showcases a very different side of Austere’s sound, a departure from the dreamy post-rock vibe much more along the lines of a heavy metal track. Through the lightning speed of the powerful double kick drum underneath the unpredictable distorted guitar melodies and screeching guitar solos I was reminded of world-renowned progressive metal band Dream Theater. At one point the tune even evolves into a blistering thrash metal-esque riff swiftly followed by a crashing drop as it is joined by the other musical elements. Certainly a very progressive song, with its chopping and changing ‘Casserole’ is as equally cool as its precursor.
The small amount on offer in this video certainly gives you an insight into Austere’s potential and they seem to have a regular gigging schedule around Bristol and the UK which implies a dedicated and enthusiastic following. With the forthcoming album on the horizon it looks like the future is bright for these talented, long haired rockers. I’d like to have seen more!
Review by Patrick Muncaster
Contact Austere!
sempiternal-joe@hotmail.co.uk
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