Review: Sunwølf - Beyond The Sun

On some occasions, I am reminded of the collaboration between Jim Jarmusch and lute player Jozef Van Wissem, which centres on sweeping, watercolour strokes of feedback and drone lingering behind the more clearly defined melody propulsions. A similar relationship arises during Sunwølf’s quieter sections: bleak minor key unwinds in front of distorted tones that bubble on the far fringes, rippling with the tremors of imminent volume rise, as steady thuds of drum beckon explosion through their ominous march.

The climactic result of such ascents is rather surprising – crashing, grooving powerchord jams feeding off of Earth’s Pentastar days, kept simple in terms of their melodic construction so as to emphasis the volume and sweat gushing out of their execution. The band eventually come tumbling back down the other side to arrive at desolate Americana fretboard slides and throbbing organ tones, completing the album’s mountainous symmetry – it’s a cinematic journey for sure, and one that appears to span deceptively far beyond its mere 26 minutes of playing time.