SENTRIES - Snow as a Metaphor for Death

SENTRIES gets 2023 underway with Snow as a Metaphor for Death - a trip through post-hardcore, noise rock, and industrial-laced material. Steps are taken down an ill lit path.

Crisp drums that snap like a broken neck. Sharp enough to cut diamonds, the tones and textures across Snow as a Metaphor bolster an acidic quality - skin-crawling and somewhat upsetting. Harsh environments are laid out and acerbically traversed. In a similar vein to London's Shame at times, and on course to be the next industrial outfit on the lips of tech heads at other times - think along the lines of the forward thinking Gilla Band and you're getting very warm. Some of the similarities between SENTRIES and the aforementioned influences can branch into copycat territory; finding a way to bring said influences into the world of SENTRIES will be the next crucial step. The Suicide-esque energy that miasmic-ly drifts from 'Séance' is the sort of thing that needs to be dived into. There's more there that can be tinkered with as a whole. An infinite and willing darkness awaits.

Snow as a Metaphor for Death is a bit all over the place thematically - delightfully disjointed. A theme is set, then the set theme is sort of killed when the next track comes into view - it's hard to properly find momentum within it. There is a beauty to it, but it can certainly get in the way of consistency. It's a noble act to some degree. The giving up of guarantee for something that may or may not work is often hard to wrap the head around. The willingness to completely switch up the direction and overall flow of the record takes courage - a sacrificial stamp.

At times you can hear a metronome in the back of the title track - the behemoth that is the closing track. An intentional move or not, it feels like an ode to the creative process - a raw and imperfect process huddled along by things to keep us in line; boundaries that keep us standing straight; comforts that keep us from falling off the edge; gravitational weights that we hold close to tether us to this thing we call life.

A fascinating prospect, Kim Elliot undertakes all instrument duties - a talent in all regards. Kim's statement on Bandcamp reads: 'I made this album entirely on my own. Please enjoy responsibly.'

There's a lot to work on - with anything that ventures down many paths there always will be. But this is a solid effort. The signs of something really special are there. Whether said signs can be tapped into is where the question now lies.