The DevilsHorns

A mere 5 years after their well-received debut, London-based post black metal band, Unmother, return with their 2^nd release State Dependent Memory. A confrontational album, State Dependent Memory is not for the faint-hearted, with themes of urban isolation, inner dislocation, and moral decline. It is not, and does not seek to be, an uplifting album.

Opening with ‘My Armor’, you are presented with a spoken word intro before a grunt brings in the track proper. The production is deliberately old-school, no shininess here, and it leads to a (deliberate?) underwhelming feeling before the track develops into almost catchy territory. It is an enjoyable song.

soundscape. Not quite black metal, but enough to keep the purists happy. The vocals are intense, even the cleaner vocals by V.  in ‘Attiki Victoria’ by Greek synthwave mob ΟΔΟΣ 55 (Odos 55 for the uncultured readers). This track also has cuttingly sharp riff and guitar tone – another enjoyable listen.

The album’s downside is that, although it is a good listen, nothing really stands-out. The good tracks are just that, good. There is nothing great nor outstanding. It is a well-written, well-constructed album.

The upside is that Unmother leave the best till last. After similar to the opener spoken word intro, ‘Magda’ builds atmosphere, leading to a sumptuous under-played guitar solo. Again, not quite up at the outstanding level, but enough to warrant your attention.

Unmother are a band that are doing their own thing. This is to be applauded, as they have produced an album that can be described as ‘almost, but not quite’. It is worthy of your time, and subsequent listens.

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