Red Sparowes Albums (2)
'Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun'
Release Date 1/1/2006
Tracks 8
Label Neurot
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Instrumentals in metal are nothing new (heck, Metallica used to put one on every record!), but what is a new occurrence is the veritable wave of purely instrumental bands that seem to have spewed out of nothing in the waning years of the first decade of the ol' 21st. Some, like Pelican, are bands that have just simply brushed aside the need for a vocalist, letting guitar parts handle such melodies and harmonies and keeping a basic song structure that is, for the most part, band-driven. Others, like the "guitar collective" that is Tone, are more, well, collective in sound, sort of a wall of music, with guitars layered on top of guitars, all playing the same chord changes to produce something that sounds more like heavy-duty ripples emanating from a common center. If there is one band that manages to capture the grey area that the aforementioned bands create between them, it is certainly Red Sparowes, who do it to great effect on Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun. The tracks are indeed straightforward songs (like Pelican's work) -- even if they do have ridiculously long titles -- yet they manage to feel like group workouts, much like the collective sounds of Tone. The songs themselves on Every Red Heart saunter between lush, dreamy metalgaze -- without all the effects of Justin Broadrick's Jesu, for example -- and a brighter (yet still pretty damned heavy) version of Neurosis. There are some post-rock elements (even a bit of country twang, it must be noted) as well, which -- surprisingly -- sidle up well next to Red Sparowes' obvious nods to some Cure-like soundscapes ("Like the Howling Glory of the Darkest Winds, This Voice Was Thunderous and the Words Holy, Tangling Their Way Around Our Hearts and Clutching Our Innocent Awe" pulls guitar sounds that would be right at home on Wish, and a melody that fits right in with Faith). Instrumental records can be difficult to pin down because there are no lyrics to mark out moments, and the best instrumental bands do just fine without a voice because they can make those moments happen without having to force them in. Every Red Heart is a perfect example of that, an instrumental record that acts as a soundtrack without being forgotten after being heard. ~ Christopher M. True, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Adjectives like oceanic, atmospheric, and epic are what spring to mind when describing Red Sparowes' debut, At the Soundless Dawn. Their music is all of these things and more. Red Sparowes are often mentioned in the same breath as instrumental bands Isis, Pelican, and Sunn 0))), and while they share influences and have similarities, Red Sparowes go off in a slightly different direction, with metal playing a more subdued role in the sonic architecture. Most of the tracks on At the Soundless Dawn are musical poetry. They are languid and expansive, carrying the listener across vast distances, simulating both the endless unfolding of open road, the gentle rock of waves, and the soaring and plummeting of mountain ranges. Several musical themes are picked up and repeated across the seven album tracks, further strengthening the sense that a coherent story is being told, albeit without words. The track titles, when read as though they were each a line of a poem, provide additional insight into the album's themes and reinforce the storytelling power of the album: "Alone and Unaware, the Landscape Was Transformed in Front of Our Eyes," "Buildings Began to Stretch Wide Across the Sky, and the Air Filled with a Reddish Glow," "The Soundless Dawn Came Alive as Cities Began to Mark the Horizon," "Mechanical Sounds Cascaded Though the City Walls and Everyone Reveled in Their Ignorance," "A Brief Moment of Clarity Broke Through the Deafening Hum, But It Was Too Late," "Our Happiest Days Slowly Began to Turn into Dust," "The Sixth Extinction Crept Up Slowly, Like Sunlight Through the Shutters, as We Looked Back in Regret." Despite the fact that several members of the band have played in more metal-oriented outfits (specifically Isis and Neurosis), Red Sparowes' music has more muted sensibilities. This is not to say that there's nothing heavy on the album; nothing could be further from the truth, particularly on "Alone and Unaware" and "Buildings Begin to Stretch Wide." ~ Alexandra Zorn, All Music Guide
