In the past few years, a wave of post-rock has successfully intervened with its seemingly opposite genre black metal. This unlikely matrimony of soft ethereal melodies and violently scabrous hatred has harvested a dedicated fanbase in a short time span. The UK has particularly cultivated this kind of metal with countless acts infusing expansive black metal with fragile post-rock breaks to win the heart of the underground.
Such a band that did this to the extent of enticing Candlelight Records to grant them a contract is Falloch, a four-piece from Glasgow formed in 2011. Not just in the name, the music of these Scotsmen closely resembles that of genre shakers Agalloch with their organic black metal that shoulders folk twinges. The black metal is not as belligerent as the genre usually is, focussing on atmosphere in favour of brutality. The post-rock simplistically meanders through guitar melodies that are palatable but wholly forgettable. Perhaps the most striking feature for Falloch is the clean vocals, more akin to American-style emo-marketed music that detracts from the songs and is a relentless distraction. The good sized audience remains static throughout the performance, ambivalent with some losing interest and thinning out as the set progresses. Falloch need to hone their craft to something more memorable, particularly in such a relatively new subgenre.
The audience swells noticeably in size as the capital's own Fen grace the stage. Active since 2006, Fen have proven themselves to be comfortable utilising the black metal and post-rock matrimony at every opportunity presented to them. Channelling the spirit of Agalloch, Wolves in the Throne Room and Alcest, this trio's black metal focuses on the atmospheric with riffs that adventure to the catchy and leave heads bobbing in approval. The melancholy elements of the black metal wrap themselves around the delicate post-rock with rabid growls and gentle whispers dashed into the synthesis. Their stage presence is forceful and their experience is very evident; without effort, they summon some members of the crowd to headbang. Fen's enduring support throughout the years shows that the London metal scene has no interest in casting them into the depths of obscurity as has been the case for some of the less imaginative post-rock/black metal bands.
Their first time in the UK, headliners Lantlôs take the stage to a tide of vocal appreciation from the audience. Opening with 'Intrauterin' from the 'Agape' album (which featured post-rock/black metal meddler Niege from Alcest arguably the most influential act in this sphere), the Germans proceed to produce beautiful post-rock textures, with an excellent sound contributing to the lusciousness of the melodies. This year saw Lantlôs release their fourth album 'Melting Sun', an exclusively post-rock affair - a far cry from the suicidal black metal self-titled debut.
The 'Melting Sun' songs translate sublimely live with crystalline riffs teeming with sincere emotion as colourful as the album art, warm in tone and making it too easy to be entirely absorbed by its expansive qualities. The music is not afraid to flirt with progressive rock ideals, spacey ambience and repetitive riffing all positively contributing to a successful result. Songs such as 'Melting Sun I: Azure Chimes' and 'Melting Sun II: Cherry Quartz' enthral the audience for the entirety of their lengthy durations. The songs are flawless, despite vocalist Cedric Holler apologising for his vocal performance affected by throat problems he is currently suffering. His vocals are not as powerful as the hypnotic drone that is heard on record but they manage to muster a praise-worthy effort tonight.
The set flies by sooner than anyone could have expected, illustrating the economy of time put into such lengthy tracks. The curtain calling number is 'Bliss', a heavier track with formidable growls allowing Lantlôs to conclude with a bang and leave behind a performance that undoubtedly has fans demanding the Germans' return to Britain.
It feels like Lantlôs have found their niche with 'Melting Sun' and this release seems the freshest, defining their own sound with results unlike those they have produced before. Tonight's concert is testament to this, with the new material out-performing their other tracks. Lantlôs prove that they do not need black metal fused with post-rock in a beauty-and-the-beast fashion to get solid support from the music world and have avoided isolating their entire metal fanbase in the process.
FUTURE GIGS
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