ALBUM REVIEW: Acts Of Harm – Outlander
In an industry where sound can be extremely processed or craving attention, OUTLANDER‘s new album deserves its understated attention. Away from the chaos of the world and recorded in the isolation of the pandemic, Acts Of Harm is remarkably self-indulgent and humanizing, making this release extremely refreshing. OUTLANDER are signed to British metal behemoths Church Road Records, adding to its inspiring roster of the likes of BURNER, BLANKET and TUSKAR. Tapping into the vein of the slow crush associated with shoegaze and the heavy brunt of slowcore, this LP provides the depth of emotion that deserves a listen.
The album begins with the opening of a wooden door and then a lone guitar trying to find some melody in the darkness. Familial but also wanting answers, a voice softly reaches deep for emotions. Pulling together longing synths, the first track Bound progresses further into introspective thought, until the sound dies and we are met with an immense and beautifully damaging wall of sound. It’s a cathartically raw beginning for the Birmingham four-piece and a strong descent into a rich reservoir of emotion.
Gorgeously meandering, Want No More is a lone raft of a song that pushes the listener further into the unknown. Almost eight minutes of noise, it carries itself with sustained choruses that become as much a part of the ambience of the track as the driving force behind it. Towards the end of this track, Jack Davis makes full use of his percussive skills to drive the track to a natural stop, as rhythm flows into measured chaos. Moving into II:Nuclear, this is a track that challenges the direction of the album – not only in its length (as it is only two minutes long), it is also unsettling and raw, as if it is a consequence or an aftermath. Picking up abruptly from the outset, it condemns and scolds with begrudging chords.
Orbit gives the hope the narrative of this album needs. Providing respite, the track is simplistic, elevating the sound, pushing upwards with the guitars and the sustained feedback they create. Having undertones of a plucked melody, this track soothes the wounds created by II:Nuclear. Even still, Orbit is the safest single on the record. Somewhere the emotion got lost a little in its creation. From this LP, it is evident that OUTLANDER thrive when submerged in the context of an album. As Orbit is a track that was pre-released as a single, this track loses its shine to perhaps create marketable material.
Slower and leaning into its shoegaze influences, New Motive Power is the ballad of the album, reaching deep with the return of limited vocals. It is refreshing to have a track that is more conventionally structured, with the semblance of verse and chorus. Within the lows of this record, powering through brilliantly by Daniel Jones’ bass, there is a point of much-needed reflection. There is the emotional stop and starts towards its second half to provide release. Lye Waste continues this dreamy segment of this album, giving a nod to the calmer side of acts like LOATHE and STATIC DRESS. Big waves of sound promise a gentle transition into II:Habituation. The resolution of this album is satisfying and blissfully full circle.
Acts Of Harm is an album that pulls you apart mercilessly. Whilst some may argue that its beauty falls in its simplicity, the attention to detail in these tracks becomes its greatest strength. The way the songs cascade and change are what makes this album not pretentious, but rather emotionally fulfilling. The album is heavy, and needs the right mood to fully commit to its raw journey. Listening to this record feels intrusive, as its storytelling is intensely personal. Its charm comes from the bulk of the album not having a voice which gives space for suspense or to provide a place for the listener’s own subjective feelings. Perhaps the ‘Acts Of Harm’ are the words spoken for this album to elegantly unravel.
Rating: 8/10
Acts Of Harm is out now via Church Road Records.
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