ALBUM REVIEW: The Dark We Keep – Port Noir
Swedish progressive rock trio PORT NOIR have had an incredible 13 years since the release of their debut Puls. Hailing from Stockholm, they are promising to push boundaries and their musical direction with their 5th studio album The Dark We Keep.Said to be their heaviest to date, this release features heavier vocals blended perfectly with their signature sound of alternative and progressive metal.
Opener Complicated is a great indicator of what’s to come on the record from PORT NOIR. It features a somewhat haunting melody throughout, which combines impeccably with Love Andersson‘s breathy vocals. Lyrically, it will also resonate with many listeners. It seems to express frustration surrounding a toxic romantic relationship, where you love the person but you know deep down they are no good for you. “Drowned by all the words you’re breathing / Cut me off, in a way / Our blood red tiеs are in the old like I was / You’rе too complicated,” Andersson emotionally croons.
Redshift incorporates a rhythmic SLEEP TOKEN inspired guitar riff, which is truly breath taking. The introduction to My Destroyer creates a sense of intrigue initially, with the scattered prog melody drawing you in note by note. Andersson‘s vocals level up here, almost adapting to a hip-hop style which works well. Vargtimmen is also the ideal instrumental interlude to keep you interested at the halfway point, coming in at only 1 minute and 9 seconds in length, it is very effective.
On the other hand, tracks like Noir and Ebb And Flow are mediocre and a let down in comparison with nothing there to grab your attention. There is no denying that fantastic musicianship from PORT NOIR is present throughout The Dark We Keep, though. Reverie goes on for 5 minutes too long, sounding just the same as other bands in their musical orbit, despite initially promising diversity. This View feels auspicious but falls flat after a while, with a lack of progression and grit that we were originally expecting.
Even though there are evidently strong points within The Dark We Keep, such as Complicated and Vargtimmen, it feels very repetitive melodically with a lack of surprise and wonder at the forefront. Despite so many years in the industry, it is clear that PORT NOIR still have a lot to learn to create a record which is truly mesmerising at every note.
Rating: 6/10
The Dark We Keep is out now via InsideOut Music.
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