The sound of music has the ability to produce various levels of emotion within a listener. The chemistry of all the instruments involved in creating a cohesive sound can often determine the amount of impact the music may or may not have on someone, including the vocals.
However, there can be a true beauty to the soundscapes of an instrumental band that allows for listeners to wander and have moments of introspection without any vocal interference.
In the case of Essex, UK “cinematic sludge” group Telepathy, they create just that, a cinematic representation of powerful percussion, lushly layered melodies, and a heavy sound that fills the entire room. Coming off of the masterfully constructed Tempest, Telepathy return with the awe-inspiring new release that is Burn Embrace.
With Burn Embrace, Telepathy provides a purposeful arena of post-metal that ebbs and flows through a calming ambiance and crushing, sludge-driven heaviness.
Telepathy have an absolute gift for using their instruments to build and develop layers throughout this album, incorporating elements along the entire spectrum of rock music from soft and clean to hard-hitting. Through their personalized style of writing, each song on Burn Embrace presents an entire journey of its own.
The mood of opening track “Eternal Silence” is continuously manipulated over its eight-minute course, taking you through bouts of grievous melodies, post-black metal blasting, and serene soundscapes.
Telepathy have a way of making contrasting elements work together to form very harmonious musical passages, with each section seamlessly transitioning into the next. A clever collection of guitar notes and captivating chords fill the airwaves in tracks like “Aonaran” and “Black Earth,” allowing for some cleaner components to shine through the open spaces.
Some of the droning guitar passages in these songs, oftentimes played over a free-hitting crash cymbal or closed high-hat, have the ability to lock you into a hypnotic trance. They also provide a sense of relief from the tension created by the post-black-metal outbursts and constant build ups.
“Pariah” has perhaps the most cinematic feel to it, beginning with a soft, percussive build-up that continues to grow and get heavier and heavier. A blackened drape sits over this track entirely but tends to grow darker towards the end, as the song completely erupts.
The mood dissipates for the clean introduction of “The Void In Aimless Flight” which takes on the form of a more doom-metal-inspired piece. Burn Embrace subsides with the string-oriented, self titled track that surprisingly introduces some uniquely sung vocals, bringing the album to a poignant close.
There is a recognizable chemistry between the group of musicians that make up Telepathy and Burn Embrace is a masterclass in sound layering and song development. From soft and tranquil, to an explosive wall of sound, each note played has the ability to produce various levels of emotion within listeners.