Heart with Bread

For the longest time I thought Quercus was one of those bands that did a few demos and one weird album. When they returned with Sfumato, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they refined their sound from Postvorta and crafted something compelling. I am glad to see that they didn't disappear into the void with their cat.

However, Heart With Bread is the Czech funeral doomsters at their best. Atmospheric riffs often complement the avant garde elements very well. The general sound here is a mix between Mournful Congregation and Esoteric without the intense spacey atmosphere that Esoteric is so good at, or the suffocating mournful atmosphere that Mournful Congregation is so good at. That isn't to say that this is lacking anything. They really nail the use of pipe organ keys that appear throughout this album. A Canticle for the Pipe Organ has my favorite pipe organ 'riff'. The riffs are fun, sometimes even uplifting sounding at times, especially on Silvery Morning. They do get weird, but not quite to the degree of Postvorta. Unfortunately, no cats sing on this record.

They don't fall into the pit of monotony that sometimes plagued them on Postvorta nearly as often. Nevertheless this album follows a basic formula – pipe organs and funeral doom riffs dominate here.

Digging deeper into the music and lyrics yields even more surprises. My Heart's In The Highlands takes its lyrics from a poem from the 18th century, and the riffs (both guitar and pipe organ) are inspired by an arrangement by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt. The lyrics for Bread and Locomotive are bizarre, such as the lyric “I'll put on gaiters of moss better than the ones the boys from Manowar wore back in '84”, which is accompanied by a particularly catchy and odd riff.

This album has a lot to digest, but I say it is worth it. This is thus by far the best work by Quercus. The atmosphere, slightly autumnal, but definitely dripping with organs and pipes, it is a good atmosphere. Go forth and chase owls in apple trees. There may not be a cat here but they no longer need a cat or a gimmick. Quercus has become a band that has three albums out.

I would give this a 92 and two thirds, but I rounded up.