Red Sparowes: The Fear is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer (Sargent House, 4/6/10)
Red Sparowes: “A Swarm”
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For its first full album in 3.5 years, atmospheric post-metal quintet Red Sparowes moves from Neurot to Sargent House and welcomes aboard guitarist Emma Ruth Rundle (of The Nocturnes) to replace Neurosis guitarist Josh Graham.
Like usual, resplendent melodies — courtesy of pedal-steel guitar as well as echoes and reverberations — top snare rolls and layers of harmony. On past albums, these movements have built to crescendos, but The Fear… more commonly alternates this with mountainous low end and steady, pounding rhythms.