Resonance - Sojourner – Gateways

Sojourner – Gateways                              9/10

After what seems like an interminable wait, The international collective of Sojourner has returned after six years with their new album, the simply incredible Gateways.

Featuring a revamped line-up that now includes the formidable vocals skills of Heike Langhans, she is the juxtaposition to the fury of Emilio Crespo, their skills combining to create a rich tapestry of vocal ability that weaves in and out of the music that is anguished and loving, beautiful and dark.  It is a complete more mature sound that redefines the term atmosphere. The guitar work of Mike Lamb is distinct and also incredibly heavy, from the incredible opener of ‘Dawnrays’’ and its challenging yet dynamic arrangement, this is an album full of majesty and sheer power. ‘’Occultation ‘’ is a heavy wonder that is as warm as it is ferocious. Sojourner have used the hiatus to further develop and refine their sound, and the evolution is stunning to behold. It is an album born of both experience and wonder, that simply moves you with its power and splendor. ‘’And the Paintings Fall’ and ‘Lunar Tear’’ are mere examples of their growth and newfound purpose. The foundations of folk and black metal remain, but it is now so much more, at times ethereal, there is an unmistakable aura that is incredibly addictive.

Gateways isn’t just an album but an experience, a rich tapestry of an adventure that consumes the listener with its incredible passages that traverse the traditional and the modern. A masterclass in subtlety and musical ability the result is a simply incredible album that is unmissable. Superb

https://avantgardemusic.bandcamp.com/album/gateways

https://sojournermetal.bandcamp.com/