Most High Place

Most High Place is certainly a departure for A Pregnant Light-- by far better known for playing a unique brand of post-hardcore touched with varying shades of black metal, Most High Place sees Damian Master taking his solo project in a more subdued direction. There are no blast beats, tremolo riffs, or shouted vocals to be found here; instead, Most High Place presents the listener with a cold, quiet form of post-punk, with melodies and patterns that wouldn't sound out of place on a mid-80s Siouxsie and the Banshees album.

That being said, the music is much more subdued than Siouxsie and the Banshees ever were even at their most tempered. The guitars pluck out hushed, serpentine melodies that seem composed of smoke and mirrors, that carry with them a sense of secrecy, as though through them the listener is privy to some dark, hidden mystery. The drums are very clearly programmed, but it doesn't injure the quality of the music-- if anything, the distant, mechanical ticking of the drums, sparsely applied over the smooth texture of the guitars, lends itself well to the hushed tones of the music. So too does Damian Master's choice to forsake his usual embittered post-hardcore shouts in favour of a low, strangled murmur, as if he is whispering terrible secrets into the listener's ear.

It all comes together to produce a quietly gloomy, secretive listen that's just a little disquieting in its own way, but memorable in its cryptic melodies and unique tone. There is still a tangible thread of A Pregnant Light's usual fare in the structure of the songs and in the melodies themselves, so fans of the project's other albums will probably find something to enjoy in this unusual entry in their discography, as will some fans of post-punk or even electronica. Unfortunately, the release is a one-off thing, as the next EP would see A Pregnant Light return to their usual post-black metal, but as it stands, Most High Place on its own is well worth listening.