Steel City quintet Ba’al specialise in bleak, atmospheric post-black metal. Their second full-length, ‘The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here,’ comes five years after their debut album, ‘Ellipsism’. It was also recorded during the same sessions that saw them record last year’s ‘Soft Eyes’ EP. Though only three tracks long, the EP gave Ba’al room to experiment and explore their sound, adding post-rock to their palette. Its follow-up considerably continues this trend, allowing the Sheffield mob to showcase a textured and layered approach.
Made up of six tracks stretched over 62 minutes, The Fine Line…’ is made to be patiently consumed. However, it regularly rewards listeners. Take the opening track, ‘Mother’s Concrete Womb,’ as an example. As it ebbs and flows through moments of tranquil poise and harsh brutality, the payoff comes through Nick Gosling and Chris Mole’s riveting guitars and Luke Rutter’s monolithic drumming.
‘Waxwork Gorgon’s opens pensively before erupting into black metal ferocity, driven by Joe Stamps’ fiery growl. As the guitars fall back into the shadows, Stamps’ semi-sung vocals are delivered with trepidation, building a doom-laden conclusion. Alongside ‘Floral Cairn,’ it takes the more direct approach yet remains as hellacious and efficacious. On the latter, Stamps’ scorching, piercing screams battle panic-stricken riffs with Rutter and bassist Richard Spencer ramping up the chaos. This all unfolds against the backdrop of teasing, sweeping strings. Stamps then delivers a spoken word passage that offers a moment of reflective respite, before one final destructive eruption.
‘Well of Sorrows’ is the album’s centrepiece. Easing in with a gorgeous guitar melody, Ba’al‘s use of atmosphere and pacing is exquisite. As guitars rise, the intensity charges through, allowing the quintet’s layered sound (along with Joe Clayton’s production work) to shine. It’s complemented by ‘The Ocean That Fills a Wound’. As Stamps’ clean vocals croon against a hypnotic backdrop, Gosling and Mole threaten to derail the train of its ethereal track. Sure enough, Rutter’s frenetic pounding and Joe’s sharp screams charge through. A blistering solo is even thrown in for good measure, all within the first five minutes of this 13-minute epic. The remainder exemplifies Ba’al‘s dynamism, throwing in elements of sludge and doom metal before atmospheric horns bring the track to an end. However, this journey isn’t over yet, as ‘Legasov’ crawls out of the shadows. Brooding with intensity, Stamps’ gnawing screams play over twisting guitars and impressive drumwork.
While comparisons to names such as Deafheaven, Amenra, and MØL are inevitable, Ba’al shouldn’t be summed up as imitators. ‘The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here’ is a towering achievement – relentless, immersive, and richly textured. It is a ruthless feat of a record that allows the Sheffield band to carve their path within the post-black metal ranks.
‘The Fine Line Between Heaven and Here’ by Ba’al is released on July 18th on Road To Masochist.
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