Known for its brusk summers and long, fatigued out winters, New England is non the worst starting betoken for a winter-themed album. Fueled by isolation and frigid temperatures, 1476 hail from the infamous Salem, Massachusetts and their specialty is a mixture of art and stripped-downward nighttime, atmospheric rock. Is this your first encounter with 1476? It's mine also. Using Our Season Draws Virtually every bit my guiding calorie-free, I discovered that 1476 have EP and CD releases going back a means. The highlights include 2010's release of the tribal/folk inspired Fume in the Heaven, an interesting EP making use of audio-visual guitars, bowed and finger-picked stand-up bass and analogue synthesizers. Wildwood followed suite in 2012, relying on ambiance and animalistic imagery to convey it'south abrasive message of contradiction. Merely I believe it was Edgar Allen Poe: A Life of Promise & Despair that probably got the attention of Deutschland'southward Prophecy Productions. Conceived in 2014 as the Neoclassical and experimental soundtrack to a Poe-inspired art show, A Life of Hope & Despair didn't actually release until 2016. I have but one question for 1476… Where to next?

Our Season Draws Near is the tie that binds. Cartoon synthesizer furnishings from A Life of Hope & Despair, tribal elements from Smoke in the Sky and varied song technique with similarity to Wildwood, 1476 accept taken what they do all-time and dialed it all up to xi. "Our Silverish Historic period" has a stark opening – just clean vocals and acoustic-way harmony. It's beautiful, minimal but has a tendency to go lost if you lot're not in the right listening environs. Lyrically the track speaks of flaws and mistakes, dissipating futures and the only likeness that comes to heed is the tragedy of Woods of Ypres. The slow pacing mimics the dreariness of the cover, and despite the magnificent guitar solo that slowly rises out of the latter half of the runway, there'due south an underlying current that the song is actually just a 4-infinitesimal plus perfectly delivered introduction.

"Ettins," "Winter of Winds" and "Confinement (Interior)" evidence that just when you call back you know where 1476 are going, y'all're in for a shocker. Opening upward with guitar-piece of work hands attributable to Ghost Brigade, "Ettins" quickly changes course to gallop with classicVreid. It'due south an interesting and fun stylistic alter, only what really has yous sit up and accept find is the brash song delivery that draws on elements of Danzig's charisma. "Winter of Winds" continues on from "Ettins," but hither the band brings in a retro post-punk vibe reminiscent of The Cult blended in with The Cure. "Solitude (Interior)" opens with tribal drumming reminiscent of the ring'south Smoke in the Heaven outing, backed with an Ulver inspired familiarity. 1476 chop-chop take ownership of the rails with their striking drum-work. Vocals start off make clean, delivery not unlike what's come earlier, but make an about-turn at the one:17 mark by introducing the type of guttural growls you'd expect on aCircle of Expressionless Children outing – instead of these growls appearing in their usual habitat, they're infused into an album that'due south completely melodic.

Each song holds something of interest, uniquely used or positioned. Take for case "Odessa." At the onset, the track hints at the retro-doom of Pet the Preacher, but makes an most-plough, adopting the post-punk revival fashion of The Killers – right downwards to the retro-speaker voice. Barely a infinitesimal in, "Sorgen (Sunwheels)" takes a piffling something from Toad The Wet Sprocket'due south "Walk on the Ocean" dosing yous with 90s nostalgia. And then there's the up-beat out garage rock disposition of "Past Torchlight," bringing to mind bands like Foxboro Hot Tubs (Green Solar day'due south side-project) or The Gaslight Anthem.

Produced by 1476 and mixed by Markus Siegenhort of Lantlôs, Our Season Draws Near is lovingly crafted for your listening pleasure. Songs catamenia logically from one to the adjacent, and momentum is maintained from the very starting time of "Our Argent Age" correct up to the biting end of "Our Ice Historic period." If Our Season Draws Nigh is prophetic, I better keep these guys on my radar so should you.

Rating: iv.0/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Prophecy Productions
Websites: 1476.bandcamp.com | 1476cult.com | facebook.com/1476cult
Releases Worldwide: March 31st, 2017