Mass VI

Mass VI is the sixth studio album by Amenra and in my opinion, definitely their greatest work. The band always releases albums to reflect on certain experiences on life, and since certain member's parents died during this time, this album is, of course, their most depressing album yet.

This album needs to be experienced in a dimly lit room because the atmosphere plays a big part in this album, with the album all around being extremely dark and depressing, however, also very beautiful at times. On the first track, Children of the Eye, the song takes a long time to build up, even taking time for a melody to establish, and then out of nowhere the whole band starts playing. It hits you like a truck. That's part of the reason this album is so great, the band sits around on a quiet riff for a while, and out of nowhere the drums come in and guitars are distorted, and it surprises you each time since you never know when a part it's coming. Something the band also does it they always speed and slow down, so there's never a constant tempo, and this is to emphasize momentum, and it works just perfectly in this album.

As mentioned before, throughout the album, the band likes to sit on ideas for a while, and while this may seem like a bad thing to some people, the use of repetition is a staple part of the album and just makes it even better. Although the band does stay on certain ideas for a while, they always add small elements, whether it would be a new melody or a quick diversion from the main riff, and then returning to it quickly after, Amenra always keeps it interesting. On the topic of the songwriting of this album, it is extremely simple throughout. There are no solos, no fancy drum fills, nothing technical about any of the playing. It's all simple, and this just adds to the album by so much. If there was a solo added somewhere in this album, it would just sound forced and would ruin the overall vibe this album tries to go for. You can tell the riffs and melodies are just filled with emotion, no matter how simple they are, and it just makes this album so much better. The drums are probably the most simple aspect of this album, and that is what works best for this album, as there's always a solid beat and nothing too distracting, and there's so much weight to the drums, it makes the album hit on a heavier level. The bass is also similar, as it never gets technical, but the basslines fit perfectly with the songs and the crunchy bass tone makes the bass stand out from the guitars. The vocals might be hard to enjoy, but they fit everything that this album is trying to convey perfectly, and the amount of emotion put into the vocals are unmatchable. The mix is also perfect for this album, both on clean and heavy sections, and it just accentuates the atmosphere that is trying to be achieved. Everything has so much space to it, mainly the drums and vocals, and it sounds like they were recorded in a large, open room.

Overall, I feel like this album is perfect in every way, from the excellent songwriting to the absolutely dreadful yet sometimes beautiful melodies, or the incredibly powerful mix and production, and I would recommend this album to anyone. It is great if you need something to resonate with on an emotional level, or need something to reflect on, this album will be an excellent choice for any reason you want to listen to it.

Time for another Mass.

There is somewhat of a trend in the metal industry. Perhaps even the music industry. When bands and artists are pounding out records once every two years. Some artists even do one every year. Never could really wrap my head around that. What's the rush? Doesn't an artist need to evolve and go through some stuff - like life - in order to talk about new experiences and new perspectives? I could never understand that. And I still don't.

Amenra are not one of those bands. And it's a good thing I am patient when it comes to experiencing new music. It's been 5 years since the previous Mass was released (Mass V), but as is usually the case with Amenra, the wait for new sonic landscapes are worth it.

Yes, sonic landscapes. Amenra - for anyone who has been following them for any amount of time - or are even remotely familiar with the name, knows that Amenra are not your typical band. I've heard them be labeled as sludge, stoner, doom and even.. hardcore? Nevertheless, none of these titles matter here. Forget about them. Forget about them all.

Lets get to the settings.

Vintage, open back sound monitors are appreciated, but not essential. Headphones, for this particular album, are highly recommended. A dimly lit room is suggested. Wait for the skies to darken. Perhaps rain, if you're lucky. Because no images this album will ever evoke will be that of the sun, light, or any form of happiness. This is made to take you into the complete opposite direction. This is made to take you into the scariest place of them all. The depth of your own mind.

"Children of the Eye" - it takes us nearly two minutes to hear any sort of melody. Then a lone guitar lurks in slowly. Ever so quietly. Ever so gently. The tension builds, slow and cunning. It takes over four minutes for the track to kick in. The tension is finally released. The band finally explodes. The collective weight of five years worth of frustration, depression, anger and despair fall on your chest. The wall of guitars and Colin's tortured screams pierce your ears and nervous system. Senses are on red alert. The hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention.

Amenra are back.

One of the rare bands these days, on this level, that instead of caring about financial issues, cares more about their music and their lyrics. That is the exact reason why they don't make albums often. Amenra is just an instrument, you see. The music needs to come to them. It needs to channel through them. They are merely transferring that what is submitted through them. They are not here to make money. They never were. They are here to share experiences, share life and death, and everything in between.

The images painted here are rather special. While Mass listeners will be familiar with most of them, there are also some new ones to be found here. As a whole, the band are still evolving. While previous Mass' were all mature records in their own right, this one I believe is different, even more matured and refined. Their sound is quite similar to what it was before and that's a good thing - I would not like to experience a Mass with completely alien sound values after this point. It just would not fit. The familiar tones welcome you in. And like any good film director which has their own style, it is the same concept here. As time passes, you get familiar with the tones (both sonically and visually) and visions the band creates.

The album also includes singing in French and Flemish. As demonstrated on previous albums, Colin is a very capable singer when he is singing clean, and it's a part of Amenra's sound that I've come to really love. "Plus Près de Toi" features some incredible verses sung in French.

Another thing to note about this album, are the odd time signatures. The general feel of the album is quite loose - I highly doubt a metronome was used during this recording, and if it was, then that's pretty odd. The drummer trails along the beat ever so slightly, just enough to give it that "wind" before a crescendo. The timing is almost always off by just a fraction. And it does not matter at all. The guitars, as we've come to expect, provides us with a wall of massive noise and suffering. As a contrast, they also provide some of the most gentle and delicate melodies I've heard in recent times. Pitch black and pure white.

The lyrical content, as always, is extremely well written, poetic and bleak.

"Come rain, wash us all away
Here come the first wave,
Nothing will remain
Forever more
No more"

This is not easy to digest. One does not simply listen to Amenra and continue with their normal lives as if nothing happened. Because there is no ignoring this. And like all Mass albums, this is meant to be listened to as an album, not individual tracks. Anything else does not do it justice. This is more of a ritual than an album.

This is by far one of the best albums Amenra has ever made. I hope they can channel Mass VII out of them when the time presents it to them. I would be enthralled and honored to hear it.