ALBUM REVIEW: Ostrava – Snow Burial

Some albums often present as quite difficult beasts to categorize, with no one genre label fitting comfortably as songs ping pong from one style to another. Ostrava, the second full length release from Chicago natives SNOW BURIAL is one such album and showcases the band’s growing ability to weave melody through a plethora of varying rhythms and textures, creating a unique sound that is very much their own. 

Opener Tyranny is somewhat of a red herring, being one of the most straight forward offerings here. That’s not to diminish the tracks impact however, as it cruises along on a mid paced groove as the vocals soar above the menacing, chugging riffs and cacophonous drums. It also introduces one of the standout features of the album – the multitude of different rhythms and the way the band use their instruments to build contrasting textures.

Sever The Bloodline is one of the album’s many highlights here, opening on fuzzed out riffs and vocal delivery reminiscent of early MASTODON before giving way to a mellower verse passage. Indeed this track demonstrates the band’s ability to change courses at the flip of a switch, recalling the heavy/soft/heavy song structures of early 90s grunge, here used in a more expansive and intricate manner, never becoming repetitive. Attention also has to be drawn to how tight it all sounds too, the trio interlocking with each other flawlessly. The musicianship of all three band members is a joy to behold, technical without ever descending into showboating, intricate but never inaccessible. 

Echos of both TOOL and DEPECHE MODE can be heard on the title track as the stuttering rhythms are this time bolstered by subtle synths.Fans of BARONESS will also find plenty to love too, particularly on the charging Burn The Crown Down, once again adorned with commanding vocals and interspersed with proggier, instrumental sections. Acoustic guitars and deep piano notes open the epic closing track The Unforgiven, providing somewhat of a reprieve, the band’s ability to create atmosphere on full display. The track soon evolves into a heavier beast though as the heavy riffs and pummelling drums return coupled with some of the album’s harshest vocals. 

Ostrava is only SNOW BURIAL’s second full length release and whilst impressive, it leaves the impression of there being plenty more to come from the band. A few more hooks would not go amiss and it would certainly be interesting to see the band experiment more with acoustic textures like they do on the instrumental track Trinec and the powerful intro to The Unforgiven. These are minor criticisms though. As it stands Ostrava is a towering achievement and one that reveals more on each repeated listen.

Rating: 7/10

Ostrava is out now via Prosthetic Records. 

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