The Gospel is the latest offering from Årabrot and whilst it can certainly be described as a ‘love it or hate it’ release, here at Soundscape we’re definitely in the ‘love it’ camp.
There’s no denying that this is a strange release, but it’s strange in a good way. Årabrot forge their own unique path and subsequently as The Gospel progresses, you never know what will happen next so it means that Årabrot are able to keep your attention from start to finish. From the punky title track, to the ambient Faustus and the jazz-infused Darkest Day, there’s no lack of experimentation to Årabrot’s music and it means the release feels fresh from start to finish. It’s a very intricate piece at times that you can’t help but be drawn in by and it leaves you on the edge of your seat as you follow each twist and turn on the album.
A particularly great element of Årabrot’s sound is the versatility of the vocal line. There’s chants, clean vocals, bellowed vocals, whispers and screams – and yet nothing feels like it’s out of place. With a constantly evolving sound and approach from song to song from the instrumentation, it takes a talented vocalist to keep up with it all, which is exactly what their frontman has achieved with his performance on The Gospel.
As a whole, The Gospel is a great listen. If you’re into a more conventional style of music, this may not be for you, but in any case, this is an album that is definitely worth more than a passing glance.
8/10
