Fragments, the second album from Italian blackgazers Dreariness, is a magical and stunning listen, and an album that definitely should not be missed. Don’t let the band’s name fool you, as this album is anything but dreary!
As a big fan of blackgaze, I always appreciate it when a band goes the extra mile with their music and Dreariness have crafted something wonderful with Fragments. There’s ambience, aggression, soaring melodies and sheer emotion dripping from the performance of all musicans involved, and it’s a real treat to listen to. It’s clear that Dreariness have spent a lot of time in getting this just right, and it’s paid off because it’s a spine-tinglingly good listen as a result.
There’s some really powerful songs on Fragments, with an early highlight proving to be the powerful opener Starless Night. Taking their time in setting the scene with gentle and laid-back instrumentation, Dreariness add a lot of ambience and atmosphere to the album before the soft clean vocals join in, which is soon followed by a heavier and more in-your-face section, and it leads on nicely, with a great juxtaposition between the two approaches. Another strong inclusion is fifth track Somnium. One of the heavier-driven songs of the album, there’s some wonderful little moments to get lost in, and the guitarwork on this track in particular is awesome.
All in all, a very good album. Dreariness have created something wonderful with Fragments – this is an excellent listen that you’ll keep wanting to come back to.
9/10
