Metal Storm logo
Shedfromthebody - Whisper And Wane review



Reviewer:
N/A

26 users:
7.08
Band: Shedfromthebody
Album: Whisper And Wane
Style: Shoegaze, Doom metal
Release date: January 17, 2025
A review by: RaduP


01. Destroyer
02. Mooring
03. Nail
04. Sungazer
05. Milk
06. Velveteen
07. The Choke
08. Kenopsia

Well, it's been a few years since we last checked in with Shedfromthebody, and I've also rarely seen yearning portrayed as passionately as on this cover art, so it's time to drop by again.

I got to know Shedfromthebody from the project's debut, A Dead And Aimless Hum, back in 2020. In my review I touched a lot upon how the mix of shoegaze and doom metal was fitting into the zeitgeist, how shoegaze's blending with black metal might actually feel even more natural with said doom metal because of the wall of sound, how the melancholia between the two genres is resonant, and I've also bought up the Chelsea Wolfe name a lot, partly to touch on the folk aspect but also on how doomy Hiss Spun felt, and that's still the most relevant reference point for Shedfromthebody outside her own albums.

Ever since A Dead And Aimless Hum, there have been a couple of records from the project, proving its prolificity, and Amare especially is one that we've also nominated for the Metalgaze category in our Metal Storm Awards (very topical, just wait a few more days), so we definitely kept up, but it wasn't until this album that I specifically felt like actually covering the new albums on the main page. Yes, I admit that part of it is that release schedules in early January are a bit slower than the rest of the year, and also because something about the cover art really drew me in. I already knew how the music would sound like, so seeing it very much prepared me for that emotional experience.

Having spent some time with Whisper And Wane, I don't think it does anything specifically different from the previous records, and at this point Shedfromthebody found a pretty lucrative niche. My biggest gripe with it are how the vocals lack variety across the record (though some songs like "Milk" offer some welcome variety by reducing the amount of reverb on them) while also often feeling pushed too much to the front instead of being lost within the blend of instruments. For being the only person in the band, Suvi Savikko really manages to make the instrumental side feel very lively, the soundscapes cohesive and warm, and the distortion in the guitars, though not omnipresent, does often act like a drone-like part of the texture, while at other times pushing further into proper riffing that justifies the "metal" tag.

Though there's not much overtly setting Whisper And Wane apart from previous records, and though I do have my gripes with it, for an album that's only 36 minutes long and whose soundscape is so immersive and well-produced, I'm willing to excuse the reliance on what has worked thus far for the project, because it did work and it does work really well.






Written on 27.01.2025 by Doesn't matter that much to me if you agree with me, as long as you checked the album out.


Comments

Comments: 3   Visited by: 81 users
27.01.2025 - 12:02
Rating: 8
Vellichor
I agree that vocal variety is the biggest weakness. She has a very good voice but doesn’t use it to its full potential, and I’ve felt that way about all of her work. The most direct comparison for me is Iress, and I think I would prefer their last record to this one just because of the vocals having more variety and memorable hooks. I do like that this one has a very strong opener and closer though, it makes it feel like a more rewarding listen.
Loading...
27.01.2025 - 12:21
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Staff
Written by Vellichor on 27.01.2025 at 12:02

I agree that vocal variety is the biggest weakness. She has a very good voice but doesn’t use it to its full potential, and I’ve felt that way about all of her work. The most direct comparison for me is Iress, and I think I would prefer their last record to this one just because of the vocals having more variety and memorable hooks. I do like that this one has a very strong opener and closer though, it makes it feel like a more rewarding listen.

Yes, now that I think about it, Iress is also a really good point of comparison. Good call.
----
Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
27.01.2025 - 18:32
ForestsAlive
There are some good atmospheres on this one. The album cover is also quite memorable and fitting to the music. I will dive deeper into this band
Loading...

Hits total: 1485 | This month: 573