Review: Departure Archives 1 by Departure Archives

The world of experimental heavy music is such a vast and varied canvas, but even though I am barely beneath it's surface it's not too often I am completely taken aback by how something sounds; and on the occasions when that does happen I feel compelled to write something about it.

Enter Departure Archives, an intriguing project featuring members of miserable.noise.club that has so far released just one record back in 2018, the succinctly titled Departure Archives 1. In essence this record could be put within the blackgaze segment of post-black metal; it utilises the ferocious tremolo guitars and vicious blast beats of black metal, but replaces the tri-tone riffs and raw aggression with something more in tune melodically and atmospherically with shoegaze or psychedelic indie rock. Comparing this record to Alcest or Deafheaven though would be a futile endeavour, because there is something uniquely experimental about Departure Archives which transgresses many of the prominent blackgaze cliches.

The tracks are all titled one to five in roman numerals, and it begins with the soft synthetic atmospheres of I. A solitary piano chimes out melancholic chords that echo and reverberate beautifully. Suddenly there is a flurry of blast beats that crash into existence as II begins. The drums are so prominent in the mix they're actually leading the sound, with the washed out guitars and bass softly bringing the depressive melodies. An occasional synth lead darts in like a streak of vivid acrylic paint on a watercolour. It's mesmerising and unlike anything I've heard in this style before.

III begins with a reversed echo loop and a lonely acoustic guitar before another sudden turn and the drums kick their way in again. This time it's with a post-punk beat in the vein of Killing Joke or Joy Division, while a moody bassline breathes creepily down your neck. It transforms from this gothic segment into blast beats and back again a few times before the guitars take over and a sludge metal chug riff enters the frame. It plays for a few moments on it's own and when the drums appear again they are instantly into the foreground, pushing their way through like a bulldozer through concrete.

IV is a short piece that works itself around a sombre guitar melody but with the same relentlessly energetic drums. It sounds like Jekyll and Hyde formed a black metal band, with Dr. Jekyll carefully crafting his guitar melodies while Mr. Hyde releases evil intensity onto the drum kit. V begins in a similar manner to II, with the guitars barely audible behind the fierce blast beats. The harsh cymbals and unforgiving snare seem to punctuate through even more ruthlessly. There's a brief quiet moment of lonesome guitars before it all kicks off again with a suffocating and utterly febrile timbre. In the final moments everything reaches a million miles an hour and it's almost unbearable. But then, just as suddenly as the whole thing began it stops, and those same sorrowful piano chords that opened the record return to gently release us from the death-like grip.

On a cursory listen this might sound like an unmixed demo recorded on one microphone hanging from the ceiling of a rehearsal space, but with full engagement this record actually appears as a well crafted attempt to capture that same raw passion and ardour found in many early black metal demos. By combining this sound with the bittersweet melodies of DSBM and the dream-like instrumentation of blackgaze, it creates something fascinating, beautiful and very unique. This album is titled Departure Archives 1, and I only hope that indicates that there will one day be a Departure Archives 2.

You can find Departure Archives music on Bandcamp