September Malevolence
After this darkness, there's a next
A Tenderversion Recording
Listening to "...accidents happen so fast", I can't help but wonder at how brilliant an Aerial and September Malevolence show would be. The two acts share a lot in common, but as both bands are within the post-rock genre, there's plenty of terrain to be explored without encroaching too terribly into another's territory. September Malevolence lean more towards an organic examination -- "A notion, I can't shake...", which sets the scene for "...accidents happen so fast", is almost entirely an acoustic number, lacking any of the post-rock beauty that explodes into being with "...accidents"; and "Brandskär" is a gorgeous piano interlude. The group also maintains a beautiful optimism throughout their work, much like Explosions in the Sky, not stumbling down darker, more melancholy avenues such as contemporaries Aerial and Mogwai. Even "I shut doors and windows", which feels like it might succumb to the shadows never quite allows itself to drown, teetering precariously on the edge at times, but never falling. "After this darkness, there's a next" is a gorgeous album, definitely already a contender for high placement in my Best of 2008 list.
- Lars Garvey Laing-Peterson
