Celan - Halo (Exile On Mainstream)

Celan is somewhat of a musically cross-cultural super-group, initially conceived as it was by composer/conductor Ari Benjamin Meyers of Redux Orchestra and Einstürzende Neubauten and Chris Spencer, guitarist and vocalist with seminal hardcore noise-rock outfit Unsane, and also featuring, amongst others, guitarist Niko Wenner, the driving musical force behind Oxbow. For all this, it is the heavy hardcore influences that loom most prevalently over the album, as the five piece power through a series of aggressive, dynamic, undeniably rocking blasts. The riffs are crunchy, fast-paced and heavily catchy and Chris Spencer's savagely screamed vocal delivery is as emotional and intense as ever. With the ex-flu.ID rhythm section of Phil Roeder and Franz Xaver behind the bass and drum-kit, the songs hit hard, with plenty of dynamic shifts and pummelling, precision beats to keep things moving. Beyond undisclosed compositional duties and the epic slowly crashing chords of 13-minute long closer 'Lunchbox', Meyers' keyboard work is relatively discreet, with just a handful of subtly atmospheric passages bringing him to the foreground via subdued piano interludes that nicely accent when the band do kick back in with raw riffing and heavy power once again. As befitting the luminous line-up, Celan's debut "Halo" is an emotionally intense, subtly diverse and masterfully crafted and executed piece of work.

'Halo' is available now on Exile On Mainstream.

Celan