The Last Tree

Most metal bands with their own sound do not start out as such; usually being a copycat upon inception and then developing their style from there. For a band’s first major release to have already carved a musical niche whilst still retaining a modest sense of being unmistakably metal is something of a rarity today.

It’s an ambitious first release, evidently with a lot of effort having gone into it. Many bands are content with releasing first EPs or even albums as a proud compilation of their early tracks, but the songs here seem more complete and work towards a common goal.
The music itself is very riff-based, combining all aspects of metal and outside genres such as prog rock and folk. It’s neutral and organic; drums are not triggered and vary throughout with subtle nuances, guitars are not over-distorted and a fretless bass is used to profound effect in fleshing out the songs. Vocals are earthy, intelligible grunts (think Immolation, Amon Amarth) and while nothing incredibly out of the ordinary, they do the music no harm.

Lyrical themes deal with subjects ranging from history and politics (Rain Follows the Plow) to anti-dogmatism (Ballad of the Beast; a carnal interpretation of Jesus’ temptations during his 40 day desert fast). Each song has a set topic but fortunately retains an element of ambiguity. The lyrics themselves are essentially poetic renditions of stories, eloquently constructed and never delving into the realms of excess.

There are negatives, however. As stated, the vocals are not much out of the ordinary and the music would be complemented by more variation in this department – the closing song is an exception and shows the effectiveness of multiple vocal approaches. The production and mastering as a whole isn’t bad for a debut release although it sounds slightly murky. Thankfully it’s not clinically over-produced, but a bit more clarity would have brought forth the musicianship, and some passages have an explosive quality to them which would have been made all the more poignant with altered production values.

When listening to this EP one cannot help but feel its musical sincerity. If you’re into more rooted no-frills extreme metal you’ll appreciate the riffing and solid metal foundation in the music. Alternatively, if you’re into the progressive and creative side of metal you’ll find a lot to keep you occupied despite its length at 26 minutes. This seamless musical dichotomy and inherent focus on songwriting at its core really makes this band stand out and should definitely be kept an eye on for the future.