Review: “Leave The Soul For Now” by Timeworn

Timeworn have been delivering a solid mix of sludge, hardcore energy and post-metal atmosphere since 2014 and have in their ranks members from Eskatol, Summon the Crows, Blodspor and From Below. Both of their first two albums in 2014’s “Luminescent Wake” (Disiplin Media) and 2017’s “Venomous High” (Fysisk Format) were met with praise from both the media and audiences alike. Their follow up third album, “Leave the Soul for Now“, was recorded at Urban Sound Studio in Oslo Norway in Autumn 2018 with Thomas Wang behind the levers as well mixing the album. Mastering was done by Alan Douches (Converge, Hatebreed, Deftones).

Starting out with “Sky Castles”, a track that sonically fits in the space between Mastodon and newer Transport League material with big Sludge infuses riffs with menacing overtones a brighter lead guitar work that serves as a neon yellow  highlighter pen to the black tar river soundtrack. The thunderous pre-chorus is broken by the bright melody of the clean vocal chorus part which is the chink of light through the black clouds. “Count The Crosses” has a choral start before returning with some Stoner Sludge Doom Metal riffs. After the harder hitting opening cut, this one takes a more groove oriented approach with a slower tempo whie “We’re all forged to failure” is the call. It has the that familiar air too it and is instantly accessible. “Oblivion Seekers” warns of the mistakes of following trends with cheap thrills leading to oblivion. A richer continuation of the sound of the earlier pairing it builds up with punchy fat thick gauge riffs rather than attempting to impress with slick leads. “Hellwater” takes a surprise left turn with an Alice In Chains esq dirge grunge acoustic guitar laiden direction. It sounds like it belongs on their MTV unplugged appearance with a little big of a country twang and an electric solo part adds a bit of punch as it lefts things from the dust and dirt. Being a near eight minute track, there is plenty of space for those riffs to breathe as “Hellwater” is expanded to “Hell or High Water“.

The second half of the “Leave The Soul For Now” starts with the harder hitting riffs of the opening cuts in the form of “Paradise Crown”. It chugs along nicely with some interesting riff patterns and a grunge tone before a longer solo lights it up and turns it from a mid album chugger to a stand out moment. “Visceral Reality” is a longer more drawn out affair that builds over nearly seven minutes with subtlety and nuances that you won’t notice the first few times around. The relentless bludgeoning of Sludge Metal riffs is broken on numerous occasions by little tempo shifts or lead flicks to give it a sense of grandeur. “The Fallen King” is the nearly nine minutes long and the band use that time to create some heavier atmospheres with throat ripping unclean vocals and classic Metal leads before dropping into more familiar surroundings. Each track builds on the foundations of its predecessor and if you’re a fan of something like “Ancient Geometry” from Vexes then there is no doubt that this is for you. The progression though Alternative Metal is completed by a fine solo that builds into a tapping section with the final verse before the false ending into breakdown which some might seem unnecessary gives it a final headbanging seal of approval. Eclipsing the 9 minute mark with the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle “Vagrant Heart” is a thing of beauty. Infusing an shoegazing quality with some rougher riffs and progressive leaning complications, while talking of crossing the ocean of time, it is what Pink Floyd would make today if they were children of a different era. It’s a piece of epic grandiosity that ends the album in fine style [8/10]

Track listing

  1. Sky Castles
  2. Count The Crosses
  3. Oblivion Seekers
  4. Hellwater
  5. Paradise Crown
  6. Visceral Reality
  7. The Fallen King
  8. Vagrant Heart

“Leave The Soul For Now” by Timeworn is out 6th December via Loyal Blood Records

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