ALBUM REVIEW: Bloodletting For The Lonely – Esses

The last few years have been pretty good for post-punk. That’s actually an understatement. From the commercial success of a band like IDLES, to the cult-like adoration of the last DAUGHTERS’ record, the sound is arguably as popular today as it ever has been. It’s also proven quite a broad church, ranging from bands mixing its influence into other genres, to more straight-up revivalists. Oakland’s ESSES definitely fit in the latter of these two camps. In particular, the Californian quintet seem to owe a lot to 1980s legends like SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES and BAUHAUS. Theirs is a gloomy and goth-tinged take on the genre, presented in its latest form on their sophomore album, Bloodletting For The Lonely.

The record starts as it means to go on with its dark and moody opener The Source. The atmosphere is ominous and heavy, with driving drums and a simple bassline backing reverb-soaked guitars. After a minute of instrumental build, we meet vocalist Miss Kel, who comes in with a creeping, ethereal drawl. Her performance grows more intense as the song progresses, running along with a consistent menacing energy. She remains a standout throughout Bloodletting… – a theatrical focal point amid the record’s murky gloom. Lyrically, her musings centre on the topics of mental health, memory and trauma. It’s a good fit with the band’s music, with lines like “I’ve been torn, torn apart” and “We’ll be together in an infinite void” contributing well to an overall feeling of unease.

Behind Kel, the rest of ESSES do a great job of capturing that iconic 80s post-punk/deathrock sound. Scout Leight’s basslines rumble along steadily, and combine well with Kevin Brown’s driving, tom-heavy drum work. They provide a firm foundation for guitarists Skot B and Dawn Hills, who embellish proceedings primarily with sparse, atmospheric leads. The production wraps it all up perfectly, firmly evoking the old-school sound the band are so clearly going for.

For this record, ESSES seem to be at their most compelling when they opt for more energetic fare. Second track Pierce The Feeling illustrates this quite well, but it’s even more clear in the album’s middle third. Fourth track Infinite Void may well be the best on the record. It’s a short, urgent piece with an intense sense of menace and bite. Before The Blight keeps the energy going from there. This one’s driving and dour, and features some stand out guitar work from B and Hills in particular. After that, sixth track Little Mouse rounds off this strong middle run in bratty, punky fashion, accentuated by a forceful vocal delivery from Kel.

As mentioned, post-punk is on the form of its life at the moment. This does mean that Bloodletting… may suffer a little as a result. It’s a good record, but the bar is high and some of these songs just don’t quite hit the mark. It’s perhaps when the band slow things down a bit that this is most obvious. There’s nothing particularly wrong with a track like Faceless Past, for example, but it’s not the only time where this record feels as though it could do with a touch more bite.

That isn’t to say all the slower songs on Bloodletting… are weak though. Album closer Schism is a far stronger example. At five minutes exactly, it’s the longest track on the record, and it boasts a real theatrical grandeur and intensity. With it, ESSES wrap up a generally solid 32 minutes. Some tracks are good, while others are just fine. It doesn’t do much we hadn’t already heard a fair few decades ago, but it does make for an enjoyably nostalgic listen nonetheless.

Rating: 7/10

Bloodletting For The Lonely is set for release on August 6th via Atakra Records (US) and Bat-Cave Productions (Poland).

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