Self-release – 25 Mar 2022
Bringing post-metalcore to the present
Before I even heard a song from this album, I was intrigued by the prospect of an “ambient post-metalcore” band. In my mind, I imagined an Opeth-style sound separation approach with a metalcore twist. Instead, Dream State delivers a pretty cohesive sound that incorporates the “ambient” aspects into intros, verses, choruses, breakdowns, and outros over the course of the album. Stillnight’s debut album has achieved some undeniably unique sound combinations. The 7-string guitars and 5-string bass allow for some ultra-heavy riffs and fierce breakdowns that any metalcore or deathcore fan will enjoy.
The first track, “Elysian Forest”, gives listeners a solid metalcore experience with a little electronic boost. “Lustral”, the follow-up track adds a bit more intricacy in the guitars while still staying very rhythm-centric and allowing the atmospheric sounds to swell in the background. “Eidolon”, the album’s fifth song, includes a nice bridge of finger-tapped guitar and bass that sync up nicely and provide some much-appreciated technicality. This moment is represented well in the song’s music video which premiered 03 Mar 2022 on YouTube.
For me, the sixth track on the album, entitled “Grey”, takes the cake for best song. Despite being the shortest song (aside from “Into the” which serves as an interlude and intro to “Brushfire”), “Grey” delivers some serious punch and the most dynamic vocal performance on the record. I would easily classify this song as a deathcore song due to its intensely heavy riffs, drums, and vocal delivery. After a moment of distant phases, the song kicks the listener in the ear with a beautifully deep verse. The 45-second mark is where I fell in love with this song; the layered vocals swing in like a sledgehammer and lead into a nice break where the drums and bass get a moment to really shine together. Stylistically, the vocals on “Grey” are so good because they unleash an arsenal of brutality, ranging from some really nice mid-range and higher screams akin to Suicide Silence’s Mitch Lucker all the way to a borderline pig squeal that reminded me of Job For A Cowboy’s Doom EP. Another strong moment on this track comes at the 1:50 point when the guttural vocals, a couple distant guitars, and an atmospheric air reign supreme for a full 30 seconds before the screams reach full throat and the carnage continues. This song is amazing and is going on a few of my playlists for sure.
I think Stillnight is certainly onto something good with their debut album. I just don’t think they have hit their sweet spot yet. There were a few moments where it felt as if they were chasing that “ambient post-metalcore” subgenre label instead of letting the sound happen organically. For instance, the song “Solstice” has a beautiful intro that I wouldn’t mind listening to for two or three minutes before it evaporates into nothingness, followed by the blast beat of the main part of the song; however, this intro lasts only 33 seconds and has a clunky, almost uncoordinated slam into the blast beat. The song is great, the outro is seamless, but the abrupt transition at the beginning seems like a missed opportunity for something really special.
Personally, I would have liked a couple more tracks like “Into the” that serve as interludes or intros and provide that breath fans look for in an “ambient” labeled sound which hinges on alluring awareness. There were moments of elegant, light space, but they were brief and sparse. In their subsequent releases, I would absolutely appreciate more moments that sink the listener into the void for a more immersive experience.
That aside, this is a good first step for Stillnight. Overall, I would definitely recommend this album to anyone looking for a rhythm-heavy, brutal, yet melodic take on post-metalcore who likes the synth and pad feel. I know I’ll be returning to Dream State for the songs I highlighted, as well as a few others.
Stillnight Linktree page
Tom B. Bearded is a news editor and reviewer for TGEFM. He recently emerged from the scraggly woods near your home.
