I’m gonna level with ya, kids. Like all of you, all the big plans I made earlier this year have been dashed on the rocks like an unforgiving, breaking wave. Summer is almost over here in the States, and not once have I gone out to our neighborhood pool, carefully-disguised alcoholic beverage in hand, and enjoyed the warmth of the sun or the refreshing coolness of the pool’s water. Instead, I’ve spent my time trying not to kill coworkers at my job, trying not to kill fellow customers at my local Publix, or trying my damnedest to avoid all humanity at any and all cost, whether it’s in person or online.1 So when tasked with reviewing Alter Ego, the debut full-length from Ukrainian progressive/post-metallers Nug, they were at an unfair disadvantage, as it would have to take something special for me to enjoy yet another take on post-anything.
Thankfully, Alter Ego is that something special. While Mr. Huck kinda spoiled things a bit by calling them “The Ocean without clean vocals,” it’s only partially accurate, while also slightly underselling how good this is. After the token intro track full of ambient whooshes and computerized blips and whirs, “Beast/Звір” lives up to its name, opening with a catchy, if djenty, riff while keyboardist Yuriy Dubrovsky painfully howls over his keyboard. Granted, all the key ingredients are there: heavy riffs, thundering bass, the carefully placed ride cymbal adding an accent to the goings-on around you. But there’s a sense of youthful urgency and a palpable energy that propels everything, even when the proceedings are quiet and brooding. They’ve studied their heroes well, and added just enough to differentiate themselves.
For starters, even this early in the game, Nug display some talented musicians not afraid to show off just a little bit. Bassist Bogdan Kalynets springs to mind immediately, as his slinky, squeaky-clean bass gymnastics that open up “Radiance/Сяйво” draws you into its hypnotic charm, and adds color when it makes frequent appearance throughout the track. Elsewhere, closer “Night Shine/Блиск ночі” bowls you over with riff after chunky riff before fading out to an airy, celestial end, almost coming around full circle to Alter Ego‘s atmospheric beginnings. But it’s mid-album highlight “Shores/Береги” that seals the deal on Nug‘s potential. Here, the songwriting is tight, and the careful choices of riffs, melodies, and moods carries the listener through various twists and turns, all culminating in one of the best post-metal songs I’ve heard in a long time, making itself a strong candidate for Song o’ the Year accolades.
But like any young band with a solid debut, there are some hiccups, and two of the biggest involve song lengths in different extremes. Both “Radiance/Сяйво” and “Beast/Звір” go on for a bit too long, with the former offering a fake-out in the form of the introductory bassline slowing to an almost complete stop followed by a couple seconds of complete silence before rehashing its main riff. On the other extreme end, I’m all for the “get to the fucking point” approach, but at just a hair above two minutes, “Psyche/Душа” almost doesn’t make a point, or at least one that’s fleshed out enough to be compelling. That said, I’m quite impressed by how well thought-out and performed Alter Ego ended up, and coupled with a fantastic production where everything’s clear yet punishing, it left an impact.
And that’s not something I say often enough when it comes to post-metal, as the genre’s pretty much past the stale stage. But just like The Crotals before them, if you add enough new ingredients and some much-needed energy, you can breathe life into any damn corpse,2 and Alter Ego is teeming with life and vibrancy. If you’re like me, and feeling burned out by what’s happening these days, or by post-metal’s lack of ideas, give yourself a listen to Alter Ego and, above all else, treat yourself well.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Willowtip Records
Websites: nugband.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/nugband
Releases Worldwide: August 14th, 2020
