Following their success with EP ‘Host‘ last year, Wren are releasing new album, ‘Auburn Rule.’ With praise from the likes of Daniel P. Carter, many eagerly awaited the few release from the noise rock/ post-metal four-piece from London.
The album could be described as more of a soundscape than album, in a noise-rock nature, the band carefully combine slower sludgy guitars and a droning bass line with a less-focused vocal pattern and crashing drums to create five great songs. The vocals seem to take a backseat to the guitars, like someone’s shouting in the distance, but this works well down to the impeccable mixing. Wren also impressively somehow manage to do both chilled out and aggressive music at the same time. With the shortest song at just 5 minutes and 33 seconds, the band create an atmosphere, and a whole new listening experience unlike anything I’ve heard before.
The highlight of the album comes in at track 3, ‘The Herd‘. After a minute or so of more slick guitar licks and generally faster drums than seen elsewhere on the album, the unintelligible but impressive screaming vocals kick in. Then follows a breakdown of sorts composed of syncopated rhythms which add interest to general noise/ sludge sounds before building slowly to an impressive and thrashing climax.
With the shortest song at just 5 minutes and 33 seconds, the band create an atmosphere in their long pieces, and a whole new listening experience unlike anything I’ve heard before.