Album Review: This Sun No More – In Circles (Sludgelord Records)

For the best part of a decade This Sun No More have been writing music, with the aim of creating a concept album based upon ‘Inferno’ from Dante Alighieri’s ‘Divine Comedy’. The fruits of their labour have finally ripened with the release of their debut full length ‘In Circles’, which dedicates a track to each circle of hell.

Seeking to blend doom-laden post metal with progressive and psychedelic influences, This Sun No More have taken their first significant steps towards carving out a sound that is distinctly their own. The album will be released on June 7th 2019 via Sludgelord Records.

With a fascinating concept, This Sun No More ensure it’s not just pretty words. With a post-metal release that includes a number of other different musical influences.

We get a very mellow, very disconnected start within Guiltless that then takes a turn for the darker side of things with a ringing out of doom. Storm comes next as we head deeper showcasing the bleaker side of This Sun No More. The echoing rhythm is haunting and the vocals tear at the soul.

That and the following Gut are huge sound tracks, so expansive in sound even if the latter is smoother and more melodic. A spectacularly beautiful track which is complimented by Midas’ mellow vibes.

River then explodes with fury before talking things back a stage for a slow beat and spoken word recording regarding the atomic bomb use of World War II. Back and forth it goes, giving it a really dissonant feel but one that fascinates. This is an album that just keeps getting better and better.

We get even more shoe-gaze style guitars with Dis and Atilla, the former being a little more melody driven while the latter is This Sun No More’s doom influences pushed well and truly to the forefront.

A very short piece of spoken word (Uri) then sets up the final descent to Iscariot. One last effort that involves a hefty level of progressive guitars, a broken beat that puzzles as much as it fascinates before a dour piece of rhythm closes this wonderful album out perfectly.

This Sun No More – In Circles Full Track Listing:

1. Guiltless
2. Storm
3. Gut
4. Midas
5. River
6. Dis
7. Atilla
8. Uri
9. Iscariot

The album can be ordered via Bandcamp here and Sludgelord Records here. Find out even more over on Facebook.