Harrow

Artist: 
Album Title: 
Fallow Fields
Release Date: 
Monday, June 29, 2015
Distribution: 
Review Type: 

Canadian act Harrow were formed by Ian Campbell in 2009 under the Wraith-moniker. In 2011, Wraith became Harrow, and during those years the band (with new members, yet with Ian being the sole remaining musician from the original line-up) did record and release several mini and full length albums. In early 2014, Harrow recorded the Fallow Fields album, which was initially released on tape in early 2015 (via Broken Limb Recordings). Shortly after, the band signed to mighty Avantgarde Music in order to have this material available both digitally as well as on CD edition.

Fallow Fields consists of four lengthy tracks, clocking in between eight and fifteen minutes. The album represents a mixture of acoustic Folk, Traditional and Melancholic Black Metal, ambient Drone, and hypnotic Post-Rock-induced Shoegaze. There are quite some hints from the Norwegian scene anno nineties (especially within the blackened parts, evidently, but you knew that for sure), but like many Canadian acts it comes with an own twist, with own ideas, with an almost unique perseverance.

There is quite a lot of variation within each (lengthy) composition, but especially in between the different tracks, yet once again, that is not with an incoherent essence actually. Integer and doomier passages go hand in hand with faster outbursts, the acoustic melancholy of Apocalyptic Folk goes hand in hand with the intensity of epic electricity. And actually the main parts are quite refreshing, even surprising.

Yet with exception of the Post-oriented audience, I do wonder if the whole scene is waiting for this effort. I am afraid the answer might not be that corroboraty.

77/100