FIRST UTTERANCE

A hundred times COMUS were mentioned on PA forum threads as one of the darkest bands ever. Well, that’s not that much true. Imagine KC’s “Islands” manner mixed with Acoustic Folk-Prog attitude. Chamber Folk? Yes, but not Avant ;)

“Diana” is an opener, quite dark but very energetic. Band has no drums, only percussion, but you won’t hardly notice that – music swallows you, and now you’re in “The Herald”, a three-parts 12-min long epic with some beautiful guitar/violin/flute interplays and eerie nature. Tender female voice from Bobby and creepy male one from Roger both help to create the right atmosphere. Lyrics are very dark, dealing with such wonderful things as misery, pain, lust etc. “Drip Drip” is another 11-min long journey, but quite different from the previous one. “Song for Comus” is a killer track, probably, my favouritest from them. Catchy tune, awesome musicianship, playful nature of the song and some astonishing moments in climaxes… Unfortunately, everything after “Song to Comus” fails to surprise me that much: neither “The Bite” & “The Prisoner”, pretty usual “folkish” songs, nor “Bitten”, a scary short instrumental.

I’d say that the closest newer bands to COMUS are A SILVER MT. ZION or early AFTER CRYING: they are the same way dark yet pastoral. COMUS proved that acoustic music can be as dark and challenging as loudest examples of Avant Rock. Highly recommended and not to be missed.