Album Review: "Burial Dream" by Sarin

Burial Dream

I'm almost temped to shout HELLO CLEVELAND!

Today is the first time I've reviewed an album in two weeks. Yes, I worked hard to get caught up and now I'm behind.

So, once again, I'm playing catch up.

Today we're taking a look back to about two weeks ago. I received an email from Brampton, Ontario based Sarin.

Well, like most time when a band emails me, I wasn't familiar with their music, but I'm always willing to listen.

They're a doom, sludge, stoner metal band. I'm not sure if our friends in Sarin are too picky about which particular term we choose. I'd have to imagine that some bands get a bit snippy about it. I suppose it's kind of like death metal and technical death metal and melodic death metal. There's probably a difference, but it's hard to spot!

Check out the Jazzmaster on Sarin!

As is often the case in the gloomier and melancholic side of metal, the music takes no time in showing off its true colors.

Sarin's true colors...wait, Sarin's true colours are black and grey.

Sludge and gloom are in full force.

This is certainly not surprising and it's par for the course, but where they succeed when so many other bands fail is how they infuse beauty into their melancholy.

The vocals are pained and the guitars' timbre matches like a tie to its pocket squares. The drums and bass do not separate themselves from the languid "melody section."

Between the thundering chords and pained wailing, spring like arpeggios find their way through the rain to the foreground.

Unique. Beauty. Under appreciated power.

Burial Dream may not be a concept album or thematic record, but contains the sound of pain and anguish. It's big, full, slow, and lingers as if it's the cold you just cannot shake off.

Release: 1/17/15
Genre: Doom Metal
Label: DIY
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Bandcamp Link (Preview or Purchase)