ALBUM REVIEW: Rare Field Ceiling – Yellow Eyes

YELLOW EYES have been carving out their own niche within the US black metal scene for close to a decade. Formed by brothers Sam and Will Skarstad in 2010, YELLOW EYES have, over the course of five full length records, a split and two EP’s, crafted a blend of monstrous black metal with a grandiose, soaring atmosphere that makes them one of the more unique and memorable acts in the North American black metal scene. Their latest full length, Rare Field Ceiling, is perhaps their most impressive and fantastic effort to date, consolidating their sound and cementing their legacy as one of the black metal scenes more interesting and imaginative acts.

Warmth Trance Reversal is a very strong opening gambit, with a caustic that is counterpointed by soaring, grandiose lead guitars with catchy melodies. The music is jarring, with lots of dissonant riffs and rabid, feral vocals giving this song a sense of urgency and a claustrophobic feel, but it never truly shakes off its epic edge; something which makes for an eclectic and interesting album opener. No Dust continues in a very similar vein, picking up where YELLOW EYES left off with Warmth Trance Reversa with steady drums backing acerbic, grating guitar hooks with a few demented, technical flourishes, and tortured vocal deliveries, all of which is shrouded in a melancholic yet bombastic atmosphere, which makes for a fun song built around two contrasting sounds mingling together.

Light Delusion Curtain has slightly punchier and more memorable sound,. Harnessing slick, melodious guitars, only the bellicose and punishing quality of the vocals provides much of the discordant aggression that has been Rare Field Ceiling‘s hallmark up until this point. Every aspect of this song, from the percussion to the ambience, is far tighter and more focused, resulting in a song that not only sticks out from the pack, but also gives the listener a refreshing change of pace and a welcome break from the albums more cacophonous moments. Nutrient Painting sees a return to the more chaotic sound that defined the beginning of the album, although this song is noticeably tighter and has far less disjointed moments, opting instead for a razor sharp, brutal aural assault that is punctuated with off kilter riffs, rather than defined by them. The drumming is definitely more intricate and precise, and provides some of the most enduring percussive elements on the whole record. It’s an incredibly solid and impressive track with a classic black metal sound, with a decidedly modern twist.

Rare Field Ceiling‘s fifth, titular track, is far and away the album’s highest point, with the more grating and quirky side of the bands sound finally being put to proper use, with an energetic and memorable sound that is firmly rooted in old school black metal, evoking the sort of sound that bands such as TAAKE have perfected. But YELLOW EYES add their own distinct flavour to it with varied lead guitars hooks, ranging from caustic, disjointed motifs to soaring, catchy harmonies, that all contribute significantly to the songs charm, ensuring that this is one of the album’s stand out tracks, with few others coming close to even touching it. Maritime Flare is an incredibly atmospheric offering that makes use of clean vocals and haunting, droning guitars and glorious, minimalist motifs that is a complete departure from the rest of the albums sound, proving to have a far more shoe-gaze and experimental sound to it, with a far more polished production than the other five songs. It’s an interesting piece of music, and a great way to bring Rare Field Ceiling to a close.

Rare Field Ceiling is a slow burning album which slowly but surely gets more and more brilliant as it progresses. The first two solid songs giving way to far more melody driven and atmospheric offerings which get increasingly better, ending with two excellent tracks that are both catchy and memorable for very different reasons. Each of these songs, barring the two that open the record, are very different from the others, and each prove to be stand out tracks in their own right, making sure this is an album that is as instantly memorable as it is eclectic. Rare Field Ceiling will certainly take YELLOW EYES to new and exciting heights, and see them get some much needed recognition outside of their native underground scene.

Rating: 9/10

Rare Field Ceiling is set for release June 28th via Gilead Media.