Is releasing 5 records at the same time a good idea? Well, when you’re not a band, but rather a “kollektiv”, no one tells you what to do! Dear Hollow is here to fill you in on what you probably missed.
Upir
Upir – Threads of Seiðr – Seeing Under Starlight Review
“Calgary’s Upir dropped the absolutely and wonderfully noisemongering Effigy for the Fiercest Frost – Shadows Dance in the Fires of Yule, which achieved a meditative effect across two tracks in its blend of thick ambiance and raw black metal – landing as one of my biggest surprises of 2021. As another surprise, the enigmatic act dropped their first full-length proper out of nowhere.” Surprise bone call.
Unru – Die Wiederkehr des Verdrängten Review
“There’s something about abstractness in music that rides a fine line between tantalizing and off-putting. While anything tagged “avant-garde” is immediately greeted by a chorus of hissing and boos, there are ways to create effectively challenging tunes using relatively standard methods. Some metallic styles are born out of this aesthetic, as post-metal’s emphasis on landscapes or drone’s focus on overwhelming density spring to mind, but black metal has always maintained a bit more straightforward nostalgia in the unholy trinity: tremolo, blastbeats, and shrieks. Unru seeks to challenge such things.” Dare to be difficult.
The EP, Split, and Single Post Part II [Things You Might Have Missed 2021]
It’s time for Part II of the big roundup of EPs that you might have missed in 2021. Take notes, share notes.
Doom_et_Al’s and Dear Hollow’s Top Ten(ish) of 2021
Lists are a gift and Doom_et_Al and Dear Hollow have presents to distribute. Prepare for tidings of anger and joy.