E.P. Review: Sojourner - Perennial
Reviewed by Jon Wigg
For a few years now, Sojourner have honed their particular brand of folk-inspired atmospheric black metal. A change in female vocalist from Chloe Bray to Lucia Amelia Emmanueli is immediately obvious as the style of these vocals, used to complement the harsh guttural growls of Emilio Crespo, has changed with this E.P. On previous releases, Bray’s vocals have felt more ethereal and wispy, adding to the feel of the songs, while on these new tracks they are far more forward in the mix and attitude. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just different.
This 2 track offering starts with ‘Perennial’. Apart from the aforementioned change in vocals, this is a beautifully constructed Sojourner song and a real representation of what this band does best. A haunting opening of piano and flute gives way to an onslaught of black metal and some great interplay between Crespo and Emmanueli, who is a fantastic singer. This is best demonstrated in the middle section where she soars during a break from the bleak blast beats. This is 7 minutes that feel like a journey through melody and brutality and one well worth taking.
The B-side, 'Relics of the Natural Realm', is a much calmer affair highlighting Emmanueli and clean vocals from Crespo for much of the song, until a heavy, measured finish that rounds off the song perfectly.
This brief but welcome slab shows that Sojourner is still able to produce masterfully melodic and atmospheric black metal pieces. The new vocal style may win them some more fans, which they certainly deserve and hopefully this is a sign of more from this excellent band.
