APNEA
Silent Cities
Apnea is a three piece project consisting of Drew Reid (Guitars, Bass, Keys, Drums), Ben Mikkelsen (Guitars) and Sean O'Kane Connolly (Vocals) (Drew Reid does vocals on this EP). The band is from Auckland, New Zealand. Their genre is described as Post Black Metal/Shoegaze. The Silent Cities EP was released March 2012 under Immortal Frost Productions. Raw and powerful production. Guitars are slightly distorted and have a decent clean tone. Strong bass tonalities and powerful drums. Vocals dark and in classic black metal style. I enjoyed the sound of the keyboards, not too over-dominant and in all the right places for most of the songs. In total there are five compositions starting with Mediums: a subtle start with keys, guitar and spoken word before slamming in with a blast beat. Next is the song She Is: it wastes no time and gets right to the brutality, taking an interesting turn into a melodic passage which I enjoyed very much. Mibi, strange title: it’s both eerie and melodic in its delivery. Sleeping Horses: fast attack and intense phrases. This is one of my favorite tracks. The dynamics are catchy and the song keeps you interested from beginning to end. Sve is the final song. This one is rather short compared to the previous ones. In conclusion, it’s crafted with vivid and dark harmonies staying true to the black metal roots in all its essence. My only disappointment is that it was short. I recommend it for fans searching for something with slightly melodic and atmospheric elements. -Frank Garcia
Apnea's new full length Ethereal Solitude is now available on IFP. -DW