It’s been awhile since I reviewed a thisquietarmy record and it’s definitely been awhile since I’ve last experienced Eric Quach’s wall of sound live. Thankfully Russia’s Grains of Sand have arranged his comeback with quite a bang, namely a double album out on CD & Digital entitled Métamorphose. And it’s a record that certainly doesn’t lose anytime but throws us deep in Quach’s massive guitarscapes. We’ve already presented you the first video accompanying the album, let’s now dig deeper in these 2+ hours of guitar-driven drone, built around a poem in French by Meryem Yildiz.
First thing to notice on the record is that it’s loud, I mean really loud. Not that other records from the quite extensive discography of thisquietarmy are quiet, but in this album Eric has managed to preserve what I mostly like about his work – the abrasiveness and raw power of high volumes and severely distorted guitar work. Actually, just a few tracks deep in the album and it’s highly possible that you totally lose the idea that you’re listening to guitar-based album. Sources and instrumentation no longer matter, all that is here to stay is the monumental sound, the tension and an extremely dense populated sonic specter.
Métamorphose is probably my favorite thisquietarmy record in terms of production. Besides volume and radical distortion, Eric’s soundscapes sound lively and full of space. Layers of drones are piling up in the unknown and non-existent vast halls of your imagination until it can no longer process it. Thankfully pieces like Tu aimerais parfois te retirer de ta matière or Tu manierais ta peau afin de l’attendrir bring a slight touch of comfort, so you’re reminded you’re not at war, but actually listening an album of beautiful yet extreme music. Another thing, which really really puts this album in my top 3 releases from thisquietarmy is the fact that there’s no drumming on this album. Yes, you don’t need drums when you have two hours of (mostly) hostile harsh drones to endure. And I mean endure in the nicest and most pleasant way possible. Now go and reseve a copy. It’s out on February 13th.
