MEMENTO VIVERE

Somehow, I missed the debut album from Haven of Echoes, which was released in 2022, but when Andreas Hack contacted me asking if I would be interested in hearing the new one, I was immediately intrigued. I of course know Andreas from Frequency Drift (you need to seek out 'Letters to Maro' if you have not come across it) and then noticed that both Nerissa Schwarz and Wolfgang Osterman from that band are also in this one, with the line-up completed by Paul Sadler (Spires/solo). Paul provides vocals and guitar, Nerissa electric harp and keyboards, Wolfgang drums, while all other instruments are by Andreas.

This album is a soundscape, a curtain of musicality being stood up for Paul to pitch his wonderful vocals against, with the band switching between simplicity and complexity, gentleness and force, always dramatic and always pulsing like a living being. It is a style of music which in many ways can be embracing, covering us with sound, but it is never stifling although it is not always comforting as they understand the need for contrast to keep the differences at extremes without allowing anything to lose its impact. I have deliberately not looked at any other reviews, which is my normal approach, but I can imagine if I delved into what people are saying I would discover a whole mix of influences being discussed. The first name which popped into my head when trying to think how to best describe this was early Muse, although in reality they are not that similar in an audible sense, more in the approach, while Leprous and Riverhead also come to mind, although not so much.

It is undoubtedly an album which rewards repeated playing as the longer one spends with it the deeper one becomes emotionally connected. It is an album which is designed to be played on headphones late at night, preferably outside looking at the stars, becoming immersed and being at one with the music. Lyrically, it deals primarily with the theme of impermanence and the way in which we are all affected by the knowledge of our own mortality and then this is wrapped up in a cinematic all-encompassing arrangement which takes us on a deep journey. Well worth investigating for those who want to spend time uncovering the joys to be discovered.

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