With this band, there feels like they benefit from a balance of darkness and light. You need both to highlight the other. On to my first listen of Shrine!
Birdless Cage is a standout for me. I've said this elsewhere already but not here yet. This is HANDS DOWN my fave thing these guys have ever done. Basically what i've been hoping for ever since I heard His Old Branches. This is the best they have ever sounded. Everything clicks on this record for me.
I dont understand why the extended version wont be on streaming services. I cant see myself not listening to these tracks when listening to the album. Flows so fucking well with them to boot. Elevates the record tremendously imo.
I agree, and they were some of my favorite songs on Varuna and I felt it needed those sonically lighter moments. I loved The Cartographer EP too. On first listen this sounded kinda same-y to me and I had trouble making out a lot of the parts - the production seemed a bit quiet or muffled - but I was a bit distracted when I listened so I expect (hope) my thoughts change as I listen more.
Lyrically speaking the closer is one of the best track they've ever written. And don't get me started on that extended jam section/solo at the end. What a track. Easily one of their best imo.
I haaaate iCloud Music Library. For some reason it keeps only putting 7 songs on my phone from the extended version. And they are showing up grayed our so i can’t play them.
Just listend to the singles on spotify for the first time and am very excited. This kind of snuck up on me.