Trysth – Soulchambers

From Sofia, Bulgaria comes a heavy and cathartic band that takes its time to develop a good ambience to deliver its message through dark soundscapes. Although formed in 2005, this is their first and only album to date, released in 2014 (they actually have a second one, but it’s a reworked version of this one). What do they have for us on this album? Let’s find out.

This is a post-metal record with a huge emphasis on the metal part. Instead of creating the same atmosphere as bands like Isis, Russian Circles or Pelican, who have a melodic and eerie side, the doom and sludge influences are what sets Trysth apart. Even songs like “Sever The Stars”, which are very melodic, have this heavy feeling because of their powerful bass lines and how clear the instruments sound. It’s something continuous, always evolving, but don’t expect some grandiose atmosphere that makes you think of waves and wind. It’s raw. The mix gives the album a natural feel, especially the drums, which are so beautifully crafted. Hats off to Georgi Yoshovski, the drummer, and Vasko Raykov, who produced the album alongside the band.

Aside from the post-rock influences, a lot of similar bands may have worked well on the idea of differentiating themselves from all the other bands in the genre, but failed miserably in practice due to the fact that their rhythm and riffs do not stand out in most of the songs. I’m not against minimalism, but bands like Lycus do it much better. The good news is that the potential of this band is huge.

The tracks that stand out the most for me are “Descend”, “Spine Of Snakes” and “Weeping Orbits”. Not that I don’t like long songs, I’m a big ambient fan, but I don’t think Trysth have mastered the use of repetition and subtlety yet. They’ve lost their way, but they’re lucky their journey isn’t over yet.