An einem schönen Sonntagabend hatte man die Möglichkeit sich eine schöne Portion Doom zu gönnen. Black Chrome Productions haben Alunah nach Düsseldorf geholt, als Support kamen die Epic Doomer von Wheel aus Dortmund und die mir unbekannten Tarasque aus Münster. Leider konnte das nur wenige ins Route 66 locken, ca. 25-30 Leute wohnten dem Abend bei. Schade für die Bands, aber die Anwesenden waren durchweg begeistert von dem Konzert.

Um 18.00 Uhr war Einlass und um ca. 19.00 Uhr standen dann Tarasque auf der Bühne. Die Münsteraner spielen aber keinen Doom sondern sind mehr im Sludge, Crust und Post unterwegs. Aber das war eine sehr interessante Mischung. Harsches, schnelles Riffing und Drumming trifft auf heiseres Gebrüll und wird immer wieder durch atmosphärische, ruhige Parts aufgelockert. Leider gibt es von der Band bis jetzt nur zwei Songs bei youtube, die Band hat aber im Prinzip alles für ein Album fertig. Ich bin da mehr als gespannt.

Den Epic Doom von Wheel kannte ich bis dato nur auf Platte, war sehr auf die Live-Darbietung gespannt und das konnte sich absolut sehen und hören lassen. Die Jungs spielten einen Querschnitt aus den zwei Alben (die ich sehr empfehlen kann). Das war schön schleppend, mächtig und dazu noch fantastischer Gesang, der leider dank der Technik beim letzten Song Aussetzer hatte. Aber das war hat mal keinen gestört, ausser der Musiker. Ich war mehr als begeistert, also wer die Möglichkeit hat die Band mal live zu sehen, hingehen!

Als Headliner kamen dann die Birminghamer Alunah. Deren neues Album Solennial ist ja sehr gut angekommen (zu Recht) und ich freute mich auch diese Band zum ersten Mal live zu sehen. Auch hier wurde niemand enttäuscht, die Band war top eingespielt und man merkte das sie Spaß hatten, dazu eine mehr als sympathische Sängerin mit einer tollen Stimme. Die Band spielte sich einmal quer durch ihre Alben und da fiel kein Song ab. Das war der krönende Abschluss dieses mehr als feinen Abend.

Light of Winter
Feast of Torches
The Reckoning of Time
Fire of Thornborough Henge
Petrichor
Lugh's Assembly
A Forest
White Hoarhound
Heavy Bough

Da hat Black Chrome Productions auf jeden Fall mal wieder einen sehr schönen Abend organisiert und ein sehr gutes Näschen für interessante Bands bewiesen. Schade nur das nicht so viele gekommen waren, um das zu erleben. Die, die dabei waren, sahen jedenfalls sehr glücklich aus. Die Location im Route 66 war auch sehr angenehme, kleine rustikale Kneipe mit sehr gutem Sound. Gerne wieder.

http://zephyrsodem.de/live/07052017-alunah-wheel-tarasque/#.WTZdgWgrK72

Free cake at the merch stand. It’s the way forward, I tell you now. The cake this eve is there to celebrate the birthday of Dave Day, the man that, alongside vocalist/guitarist Sophie Day, bassist Daniel Burchmore and drummer Jake Mason, has been churning out riff after gargantuan riff for Birmingham’s very own Alunah since 2006. With album number four, the mighty and mystical Solennial being released mid-March, tonight marks but the second time that new material be aired.

Where Alunah’s earlier releases are triumphs in themselves, each a progression from the last, it is with Solennial that the band seem to have arrived at a point where they have located, if not created, a distinct and vast space within the deep, droning riffs and atmospheric and melodic passages of doom that is their very own, the earthy and the mythical elements that have long pervaded their works feeling more successfully woven into their material. And so it is much to this crowd’s fortune and pleasure that we can be among the first to share in the celebrations of the album’s release and the birthday of one of its creators.

The opening instrumental passages of ‘The Dying Soil’ plays through the PA, the band enter the stage and take up their instruments. With ‘Light of Winter’, a performance as tight as it is powerful and as moving as it is magical is soon underway and ‘Feast of Torches’ – a particular favourite from the new album for this writer – brings a numinous atmosphere to the evenings proceedings. At times trance-inducing and hypnotic, there is a distinct majesty to the performance, particularly with ‘Lugh’s Assembly’. Another standout track from Solennial, from the harmony guitars that open the piece through the slow, punishing riffs and Day’s dulcet tones, it’s a remarkable track among many others and I suspect will linger long in the band’s set list.

Day’s spectral and haunting vocal melodies that carry her earth worship lyrics hang in the ether while the guitars and drums provide the heaviest of doom-heavy foundations and smoothest of the rich and the textural. Combining slower, more atmospheric passages with the heaviest of heavy doom has been the band’s forte and that Alunah’s material works so well in the live arena is testament to the strength of the band’s writing. And nowhere is this better exemplified than in the material included in the set from their earlier albums, their heft as imposing as the higher powers that Alunah summon forth in a captivating performance. With an album that is no doubt on many a ‘Best of 2017’ lists already, to share in the celebrations of its release with Alunah – and Dave of course (Happy birthday!) – is a privilege. Outstanding.

http://www.themidlandsrocks.com/alunah-the-flapper-birmingham-thursday-6-april-2017/

Alunah’s latest album is only a couple of weeks old, but they are coming out boldly and playing it live and in full tonight. ‘Solennial’ has been on the CB stereo quite a lot lately and we’ve come to the conclusion that it is a sublime piece of work that thoroughly deserves to be played in full, so we’re looking forward to this. Lots.

This is the first night of the tour and the first time Alunah have played live in a little while, but they hit the ground running as they reel off the album with a confident swagger. The album works on record as one piece of flowing music and in the live environment, it works even better.

It’s a head down and deliver the goods sort of performance from the band, less chat, more riffs. That works fine for us and helps in the aforementioned flow of proceedings. ‘Feast of Torches’, ‘Fire Of Thornborough Henge’ and ‘Lugh’s Assembly’ are some of our favourite songs of the year so far and sound just as sweet live as they do on record. The talking in the background of the delicate breeze of ‘Petrichor’ is a little annoying, but that is soon lost when the big riffs come back again!

There’s no point beating around the… forest, Alunah are one of our favourite bands out there. Seeing them in an intimate venue like this playing a corker of an album in full; that’s Friday night well and truly made!

http://www.cackblabbath.com/2017/04/07/alunah-live-in-nottingham/

If you haven't seen me shoving Alunah in your face on social media yet, it's only a matter of time. Even after penning this review I'm still going to plug this band every chance I get. You see, they’re well versed in Sabbathianisms but move forward a few years worth of influence and you've got a fuzz factor more akin to a certain Mr. Scott “Wino” Weinrich. Couple that with guitarist/vocalist Sophie Day's bewitching vocals and it's a recipe for playlist domination. And dominate my playlist their Svart Records debut, Solennial has. 

Previous album Awakening the Forest probably set a record for longest presence on my phone/iPod. I couldn't bear to take it off until I got the promo for this one. That's well over two years. I'm never not in the mood for Alunah. Solennial with likely stick around until they release another one. 

Let's get some particulars out of the way before we get much further here. As mentioned Sophie Day handles guitar and vocals, David Day mans the other 6-string, Daniel Burchmore's on bass and Jake Mason anchors the band on drums. I should also note it was recorded and mixed by Chris Fielding of Conan at (Jon Davis of Conan's) Skyhammer Studios and was mastered by Greg Chandler. Also Charlotte “Chipper” Nicholls (Crippled Black Phoenix) enhances the atmosphere with her cello across much of the album and Rich Harris (Oily Toys) makes a guest appearance on vocals. Not to mention Adrian Baxter's spectacular cover art. 

OK, back to the music. Opener “The Dying Soil” is a dreamy intro slowly building on a melody until it drops dead leading into the fuzz odyssey that follows. “Light of Winter” sets the mood with its dark yet warm aura brimming with tone. The riffs here and throughout Solennial fall on the hypnotic side inducing involuntary toe tapping and head nodding. 

Another aspect permeating the album is its catchiness. “Feast of Torches” especially takes up residence deep in the brain with its repetitive main riff and killer chorus. Heaviness and groove don't let you forget this is doom however. Soulful leads and Sophie's croon lift the overall feel out of eternal darkness and into the light while numbing the nerve centres, calming the psyche and inducing a state of mellow relaxation through stoner/sludge ecstasy. 

Nicholls' cello accents soothe deeply and amplify Alunah's melodic sensibility sending the listener heavenward while lyrically Alunah make you feel like heaven is right here on earth. Personally, it can feel quite spiritual. 

I have to admit the album's closer has me feeling a bit embarrassed. Had I read the promo materials (I skipped right to “Download”.) or had a goth bone in my body, I would have known “A Forest” was originally done by The Cure before listening to it 50 times and sitting down to write this. My apologies. Upon checking out the original it's obvious but after the telling intro Alunah takes the song down a notch or two, not only tonally but on speed as well. They turned it into a soporific doom opus with hints of the original poking their way through. Alunah have made the track all their own and exposed at least one listener (me) to a band not previously on the radar. 

Solennial is simply superb. The smoky fluidity of Alunah's melodies coil around you imbuing warmth as comforting as your favourite wool sweater or a mother's embrace. Repeated listens only enhance the connection to the encapsulating album and reveals the deeper subtleties such as Burchmore's bass touches and Mason's smooth percussion. Solennial will become a staple of my listening habits for the foreseeable future and hopefully you'll become awakened to its endless charms yourself. 

http://metalbandcamp.com/2017/04/alunah-solennial.html?m=1

English band Alunah returns to the music scene with the enchanting fourth album “Solennial” which shines for the harmonious blend of retro doom grooves and vivid melodies.

“The Dying Soil” opens the album with dramatic aesthetics and ethereal melodies surrounded by the mystical aura of nature worship.

“Feast Of Torches” runs on melancholic guitar melodies and soft vocals before gaining stronger dynamics with a groovy guitar riffs crescendo amplified by darker overtones and pagan folk accents.

“Fire Of Thornborough Henge” is all about traditional doom guitar riffing and memorable melodic leads bearing lovely vintage tones while Sophie Day delivers soothing angelic vocals that match the mellower “enchanted forest” vibes and evoke the eternal beauty of nature.

“Petrichor” features magical melodies that effortlessly give way to strong doom riffing and rich melodic guitar leads with scattered psychedelic accents while cellos in the background create additional exquisite harmonies.

With “Solennial” Alunah proves to be a quite interesting band delivering a particularly spellbinding retro sound that combined with folklore vibes and a strong spiritual celebration of nature will definitely delight the listeners.

http://offeringwebzine.com/2017/05/09/alunah-solennial/

Plus les années et les offrandes passent, plus Alunah se bonifie, peaufinant peu à peu un art aussi lourd que soyeux. Si le doom déclamé par une prêtresse n'étonne plus vraiment, les Anglais ont su se démarquer d'une concurrence de plus en plus forte, non seulement grâce au chant de Sophie Day, doucement mélancolique, mais surtout en raison d'une écriture puissamment inspirée, à laquelle sait toujours rendre hommage le mastering du maître Greg Chandler (Esoteric). 

Deux ans et demi après un "Awakening The Forest" déjà bien supérieur à ses aînés, "Solennial" ne déroge pas à la règle, quatrième opus longue durée qui franchit encore une étape vers le nirvana. Après un court passage chez Napalm, le groupe des Midlands de l'Ouest a jeté son dévolu sur Svart Records, label finlandais certes plus modeste mais aussi plus passionné que l'écurie autrichienne et dans le catalogue duquel son nouvel opus se glissera avec aisance entre ceux de Goatess, Seremonia ou High Priest Of Saturn. 

Fidèle à un matériau léthargique dont il ne se départira, on l'espère,  jamais, Alunah propose huit perles aussi épiques que lancinantes, dont une curieuse reprise de The Cure, 'A Forest', en guise de conclusion. Alors que dans cette formule féminine désormais à la mode, les vocalises constituent d'ordinaire l'aimant qui sert à ferrer l'auditeur en l'ensorcelant, "Solennial" repose contre toute attente sur les guitares qui en forment les vigoureux arcs-boutants. 

De fait, aux côtés des terreuses lignes rythmiques abattues par la chanteuse elle-même, les soli de David Day émaillent ainsi nombre de compositions en leur injectant une tristesse tranquille. Entre un 'Lugh's Assembly', long de presque huit minutes, culminant lors d'un final beau à pleurer, un 'Fire Of Thornborough Henge', aux teintes forestières ou ce 'The Reckoning Time' plus ramassé, les occasions ne manquent pas de pouvoir savourer ces saillies pétrifiées que recouvrent l'ombre du Tony Iommi le plus désespéré. 

Est-ce à dire cependant que Sophie se contente cette fois de jouer les rôles secondaires ? Que nenni. Elle demeure plus que jamais la magicienne qui envoûte autant qu'elle guide à travers la sente mystérieuse d'une forêt peuplée d'arbres menaçants. Il suffit d'écouter 'Petrichor', d'une lenteur pesante et que hantent des cordes discrètes, pour mesurer le talent de conteuse sombrement féerique de la belle. 

Plus sentencieux encore que ses devanciers, à l'image des 'Feast Of Torches' et 'Light Of Winter', "Solennial" est une ballade cérémonieuse drapée d'une douce amertume dont on peut affirmer qu'il est l'album le plus abouti à ce jour des Britanniques, merveille de doom majestueux et hiératique.

4/5

http://www.musicwaves.fr/frmReview.aspx?ID=14985

Alunah are one of those bands who have been rumbling their way across the doom metal underground for years now. Their latest offering Solennial, currently out on Svart Records is eight tracks of doom metal bliss, ebbing and flowing and using massive rolling riffs to help you get lost in a beautiful drone. Solennial is the sort of album that encourages you to navigate deep forests of sound and come out reveling in the sheer power that this music has created. There is a very distinct vibe to the band and it permeates this entire release.

I think one of the things that really interests me about Alunah is that even though they use most of the standard female fronted stoner doom tropes their music remains entrancing. Maybe it's the haunting almost Windhand-esque quality of the vocals, the fuzzed out grungy solos or just the sheer quality of the guitar tone, but there is something with Solennial that you can really sink your teeth into and get a lot of joy out of. Alunah resonate deep within your heart, crashing their way forward with warm production luring you in, step after step. Toss in some top notch songwriting and it becomes very hard to turn away from all that is happening here.

This is the rare stoner doom band who have cracked the formula and are able to bring enough of themselves into the mix, with their witchy and classically inspired vibes in order to make something unique and powerful. While you certainly hear elements of everyone from Windhand to Subrosa by way of Witch Mountain you can't help but to be charmed because all of those bands are fucking awesome. Alunah prove here that they are among the titans of the genre and in many ways drivers in their own right.

http://www.twoguysmetalreviews.com/2017/05/alunah-solennial.html

Black Sabbath may have called it a day, but their enduring legacy and Birmingham’s status as the Home of Metal aren’t going anywhere. With the allure of Sabbathian heritage still drawing thousands of tourists to the city, and local pioneers like Napalm Death and Godflesh still going strong, Birmingham’s metal credentials have never been in question, but the city’s vibrant metal scene has more to offer than just nostalgia. Here’s a quick look at some of the newer bands that are continuing to keep Birminghams’ metal torch burning for years to come…

​Loyal students of the Iommi school of riff-craft, Alunah have been creating hazy, melancholic doom metal for over a decade now, with previous albums like 2012’s ‘White Hoarhound’ and 2014’s ‘Awakening The Forest’ combining dense, ‘Master Of Reality’-esque riffs with guitarist Sophie Day’s mournful, ethereal voice and a knack for infectious melodies. Latest LP ‘Solennial’ ventures further down this path whilst elaborating on the quartet’s pastoral, folky tendencies to create their most eerie, mature and touching opus to date, with songs like ‘Fire Of Thornborough Henge’ breaking new ground for the group.

http://homeofmetal.com/the-future-of-birmingham-metal/

Coming from the English Midlands, ALUNAH have been developing their very own, unique sound over the past decade that is, of course, hailing the ancestors of doom and gloom but touching me on a subliminal level where blues passion meets my utter love for natural phenomena. "Solennial", ALUNAH's fourth full-length album, makes me fly through the forest of emotions, where death and life co-exist in a neverending circle of evanescence and growth, where old trees are shadowing vast moss surfaces until they die and decompose giving space to the new born seedling collecting every sun ray that is breaking through the leaf roof, nipping at ancient knowledge that is preserved in the fertile ground. I'm watching the mystic lady, who is walking barefoot through the cadavers of time. She is breathing out the grief of existence, inhales the smell of ressurrection to receive all love of the natural gods with wide spread arms. Sophie Day's voice has never sounded this beautiful surrounded by guitars full of cosy fuzz and haunting blues, also temperate cellos that are intensifying the omnipresent mystical and dreamy aura of the whole album. "Solennial" is a masterpiece of doom causing gooseflesh with every tone, its warmness and ravishing melodies. What do love and doom have in common? Listen to "Solennial"!

http://doommetalfront.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/alunahs-solennial-is-masterpiece-of.html

Solennial is the fourth album from Birmingham based foursome Alunah.  If you like your doom metal a bit old style and with a folk slant then this is the album for you.  Band Members: Sophie Day – Vocals & Guitar, David Day – Guitar, Daniel Burchmore – Bass, Jake Mason – Drums.

The album kicks off with The Dying Soul with its simple chord progressions giving the album that old school Sabbath feel.  Lead singer Sophie Day in stark contrast to the heavy chords provides a lighter side that is found throughout as we move from track to track.  Light Of Winter has that similar feel with fuzzy chords and bass mixing with a few simple but creative guitar solos.  Then by complete surprise I found myself singing along to Feast Of Torches without a care in the world.  Just how did that happen?  I was supposed to be having an objective ear to critically review.  Maybe that tells a story in itself.  The Reckoning Of Time and Fire Of Thornborough Henge are full on Sabbath again with that extra vocal twist from Sophie.

Petrichor and Lugh’s Assembly are slightly lighter and to mention the word Goth whilst not completely accurate does give an indication of how the feel of these songs is different to what has gone before.

To end the album we have a cover version of A Forest by The Cure.  Albeit a much slower and heavier version to start.  I wasn’t sure this would work but after several listens it does grow on you.  It is not for everyone but is a good example of a band taking a classic and making it their own.

A short number of live dates are lined up and on this evidence I’ll be sure to catch them in Edinburgh.

5/5

http://planetmosh.com/alunah-solennial/

Devoti alla causa del Doom e fedeli discepoli di Black Sabbath e Pentagram, gli ALUNAH si formano in quel di Birmingham undici anni or sono. Undici anni intensi, che li hanno portati a produrre, oltre a vari demo ed EP, quattro studio-album, tra cui proprio questo SOLENNIAL, di etichetta Svart Records.

Apre il disco THE DYING SOIL, pezzo decadente, che pare risuonare dalle viscere della terra. Le stagioni che passano, la natura che muta e un orecchio attento ai suoni che porta con sè. “It brought the news of Autumn’s death and Winter came with its last breath”. LIGHT OF WINTER,dai suoni cupi,come la torba più scura, è storia antica, fatta di druidi, Alban Arthan e il solstizio d’Inverno. Un rituale arcaico, vibrazioni che mi riportano alla mente il buon Wino e i suoi Saint Vitus. FEAST OF TORCHES, inno a Madre Natura dai richiami di sabbathiana memoria, è il tripudio vocale della inquietante e affascinante Sophie. “See the beauty in life and death, light a torch”… Una chitarra claustrofobica introduce THE RECKONING OF TIME. Un viaggio nel tempo,la memoria che ricorda e vaga. E’ una mano nella polvere, uno sguardo al passato, un pensiero al futuro. La lenta e cadenzata FIRE OF THORNBOROUGH HENGE è storia che ritorna, una fiamma che brucia, un rito ancestrale. PETRICHOR, letteralmente “il profumo della pioggia sulla terra asciutta”,è storia di trapasso e mutamento.
Suoni acidi, distorti, una sguardo lassù… verso la terra. “wild berries will very soon, begin new life amongst my bones”. Un’aura celtica avvolge LUGH’S ASSEMBLEY e la sua storia fantastica. Quasi otto minuti di emozioni e vibrazioni. Chiude l’opera A FOREST, cover del celebre pezzo dei Cure, qui riproposto in una versione decisamente più pesante e decadente.
A riveder la luce.

Lavoro fantastico nei suoni,nei testi, nella produzione. Completo al 100%. Sophie Day semplicemente perfetta, con una voce capace di penetrarti nelle ossa e scuoterti. Aspettate che cali la notte, accendete una candela e dateci un ascolto.
wow…

http://www.longliverocknroll.it/alunah-solennial/

Mε τη βαριά παράδοση της καταγωγής των West Midlands του "Νησιού", εκεί που σφυρηλατήθηκε ο αργός ήχος του ολέθρου, πορεύονται οι Alunah εδώ και μια δεκαετία.

Με τη μητριαρχική σκιά της επιβλητικής τραγουδίστριας-κιθαρίστριας Sophie Day, το doom κουαρτέτο, ένα ΕΡ, ένα split και τρία άλμπουμ μετά, ακούγεται στο τέταρτο full length του ικανό να μεταφέρει τις αντηχήσεις των εμπνεύσεων από τα αιωνόβια δάση της μοναξιάς, σε ευρύτερα ακροατήρια.

Οχτώ τραγούδια σε 43 περίπου λεπτά συνολικής μουσικής, ηχογράφησαν οι David Day (guitars), Dan Burchmore (bass) και Jake Mason (drums) με την ξεχωριστή Sophie και παραγωγό τον μπασίστα/τραγουδιστή των Conan, Chris Fielding.

Η υποβολή του "The dying soil" αναδύει μέσα από τις διακριτικές υπόνοιες της κιθάρας, μια φωνή που ο πάγος της ευγενικής προειδοποίησης ακούγεται σαν μιας ευτραφής ξαδέρφης της Julee Cruise. Το "Light of winter" θα πνίξει την εισαγωγή με το άμεσο groove του και η καλοστημένη αμεσότητά του το κάνουν να ακούγεται οικείο και προφανές, αρπάζοντας εύκολα τον ακροατή. Ο ήχος ,ιδανικά ξεκάθαρος και ογκώδης, αφήνει τα επιμέρους στηρίγματα του τραγουδιού να αποκαλυφθούν.

Η μυστηριώδης ερημιά της έναρξης του δίσκου επιστρέφει έντονα σαν εντύπωση στην αρχή του "Feast of torches" για να εξελιχθεί γρήγορα σε μια παγανιστική διαδρομή ριφ με ένα απόλυτα Sabbath-ογενές, ψυχεδελικό ρεφρέν. Η ερμηνεία της Sophie πάνω από τα παχιά ριφ και τις εμβόλιμες μελωδικές κιθαριστικές φράσεις, ακούγεται γαλήνια δοξαστική και με τη συνοδεία των δεύτερων φωνητικών αποπνέει μια γοτθική, αιρετική υπεροψία, κάνοντας το τραγούδι έναν μικρό ύμνο.

Το άλλο μεγάλο σε διάρκεια τραγούδι του άλμπουμ είναι το "Lugh's assembly", αφηγηματικά μελωδικό από την αρχή βυθίζεται στο μέσο του σε ένα κατανυκτικό break που το κρατά αιχμάλωτο ως το φινάλε του. Οι συντεταγμένες των διαθέσεων των Alunah απλώνονται ως την στωική πικρία του "Petrichor" που υποκρίνεται όμορφα πως προσπαθεί να κορυφωθεί.

Το "Fire of thornborough henge", που αποτελεί και το promo video του άλμπουμ, είναι ενισχυμένο με όμορφες κιθαριστικές προσθήκες και οι μελωδίες των φωνητικών λειτουργούν ιδανικά με το ηχητικό στιλ του βιομηχανικού Birmingham. Η ψυχεδελική, vintage ηχητική ακροβασία πάνω από τα doomy ριφ του "The reckoning of time", μάλλον τρέφει την υπόνοια ενός εθιστικού Sabbath-ικού single των 70's που ενισχύεται από την εύστοχη κιθαριστική δουλειά του Day.

Το άλμπουμ κλείνει με μια σπουδαία έκπληξη που υπηρετεί ταυτόχρονα και την αιωρούμενη εμμονή της Sophie με τα δάση. Οι Alunah μετατρέπουν το "A forest" από το "17 Seconds" των The Cure σε έναν doom θρήνο σύγχυσης και αδιεξόδου. Με υποδειγματική μαεστρία εκμετάλλευσης των ιδιαίτερων στοιχείων του χαρακτήρα του τραγουδιού, καταφέρνουν να το οικειοποιηθούν απόλυτα και να καταλήξουν σε μια συγκλονιστική απόδοση.

Σε μια χρονιά που το doom metal ενισχύεται με κυκλοφορίες που ήδη έχουν κάνει αίσθηση, το "Solennial" , που σφραγίζει την διαρκή βελτίωση του κουαρτέτου από το ξεκίνημά του, αποσπά δίκαια την προσοχή μας. Η ιδιαιτερότητα της έκφρασης των Alunah φροντίζει να μην αφήσει έξω κανένα από τα απαραίτητα κλασικά συστατικά σε αυτή την προσφορά σκοτεινής ομορφιάς.

http://www.rockway.gr/nees-kyklofories/item/16919-alunah-solennial

Najnowsze dzieło doomowców z Alunah doskonale pokazuje dwie rzeczy. Pierwsza to taka, że czasem warto dać płycie trochę więcej czasu i nie kierować się przesadnie początkowym wrażeniem. Natomiast druga sprawa, to potwierdzenie starej, ale często zapominanej prawdy, że nie raz prostymi środkami, można wiele osiągnąć.

Brytyjczycy z Alunah nigdy muzycznymi wirtuozami nie byli. Jednocześnie Solennial to pierwsza w ich dorobku płyta, przy której ów brak wirtuozerii zupełnie nie przeszkadza. Owszem, jest dość topornie, a riffologia jest tutaj mocno schematyczna, ale im więcej czasu poświęcałem tej płycie, tym przyjemniej mi się jej słuchało. A jestem człowiekiem, który przy większości pozbawionych polotu doomów i stonerów, zasypia najdalej w połowie albumu.

Tak się jednak składa, że na Solennial warstwa instrumentalna stanowi bardziej tło i przystawkę, niż danie główne. Czołową rolę pełni wokal Sophie Day, która dysponuje niesamowitą i oryginalną barwą głosu. Jednak tym razem, w przeciwieństwie do poprzednich albumów grupy, jej potencjał został najpełniej wykorzystany. Linie melodyczne Sophie w takim Feast of Torches, czy The Reckoning of Time, to czysta poezja i zarazem najjaśniejsze punkty płyty. Poziom albumu jest bardzo równy i Solennial za każdym razem przesłuchiwałem w całości bez uczucia znużenia, za to coraz bardziej „wsiąkając” w ten materiał. Jedynie Light of Winter stanowi dość niemrawy początek płyty, a podzielony na dwie części – szybszą i wolniejszą – Lugh’s Assembly można było troszkę skrócić.

Solennial jest niezwykle klimatyczny. Nie uświadczymy tu wielu niespodzianek, ale atmosfera jest gęsta niczym mgła na angielskim wrzosowisku. W końcu ta magia, w której Alunah jest tak rozmiłowana faktycznie przejawia się w całych utworach, a nie jedynie w tekstach. I jest to magia pozbawiona kiczu – prawdziwa rzadkość, choć jak to z magią bywa – zapewne nie do każdego trafi.

Inna sympatyczna rzecz odnośnie Solennial, to zaskakująco szeroka paleta emocji. O ile w takim spokojnym Petrichor czy Lugh’s Assembly dominuje smutek i pogrzebowy klimat podciągnięty od My Dying Bride, o tyle Feast of Torches ma w sobie moc pozytywnej energii. Zaś zaskoczeniem może być fakt, że album zamyka cover The Cure, słynny A Forest, przerobiony tu na doomową modłę, który wypada bardzo zgrabnie, a wokal Sophie dodaje mu charakteru.

O ile nie macie uczulenia na kobiece wokale, dajcie Solennial szansę. Szyb Wam nie wysadzi i szczęki nie stracicie, ale i tak nie powinien to być czas stracony.

7/10

http://kvlt.pl/recenzje/alunah-solennial-2017

2014’s Awakening The Forest was a real turning point for Birmingham’s Alunah; their wistful, melancholy doom stylings had always been alluring but that third album felt like the band had really come into their own, with stronger melodies, tighter songs and their established hazy reverie giving way to something much darker and altogether heavier than past efforts. Fourth full-length Solennial continues both that growth and plunge into bleaker depths, which is immediately apparent as ‘The Dying Soil’ kicks off the record with sombre, delicate cello strains rather than blaring, fuzz-smothered guitars. Whilst it’s not long until those dense riffs make an appearance, this folky, crepuscular vibe permeates the whole record, with songs like the dynamic ‘The Reckoning Of Time’ contrasting cumbersome Reverend Bizarre-isms against haunting, fragile acoustic strumming and frontwoman Sophie Day’s gentle, dusky tones. This is arguably her strongest vocal performance so far, with songs like the solemn yet anthemic ‘Fire Of Thornborough Henge’ delivering ethereal yet irresistibly powerful harmonies, and the softer segments spread amidst the beautiful ‘Petrichor’ recalling Kate Bush at her least histrionic.

Whilst it’s nowhere near as immediate as its predecessor, Solennial is a definite grower, slowly revealing its charms over multiple listens. Sure, the likes of ‘Feast Of Torches’ have that classic, catchy Alunah feel through and through, but songs like the stark, crestfallen ‘Lugh’s Assembly’, with it’s almost funeral doom-esque chord changes, exhibit a new-found subtlety and greater emotional depth which marks Solennial out as the band’s most mature, elegiac work. They also manage to completely assimilate The Cure’s ‘A Forest’ into the album’s running order, slowing it to a tortured crawl and making the song sound like their own whilst still making sense within the overall theme and atmosphere of Solennial, so you know, bonus points for that too.

http://thequietus.com/articles/22035-body-count-ohhms-aluk-todolo-unearthly-trance-heavy-metal-album-review

Out from the Pagan woods of Birmingham, the birthplace of doom metal, comes Alunah with their fourth full-length release, Solennial. The decade-old group has forged their own path in the doom metal scene with melodic heavy riffs anchored by the alluring vocals of guitarist Sophie Day. They don’t stray too far away from their contemporaries in the doom metal ecosystem, yet undoubtedly have their own sound. This new record only further cements their excellence.

Like many modern doom bands, Alunah implements distinctly dark and light moments, creating a contrast that is tried and true. Just as on their previous albums, their lyrical themes involve mysticism, folklore, nature, and general sense of wonder. A lot of other groups focus on dark occult concepts (which I love), but Alunah has a more uplifting vibe at times, which is a nice change of pace.

The first half or so of the record has a number of hard-hitting numbers. “The Dying Soil” works well as an elegant, calm before the storm intro, seguing into “Light of Winter,” which is my favorite track. It has a menacing tone with vocal melodies that swing like a pendulum weighing a ton. I really hope that one becomes a live staple. “Feast of Torches” feels like a natural follow-up. Though not as heavy, I really dig Sophie’s charismatic delivery. Similarly, “The Reckoning of Time,” has a wonderful chorus and melodies to boot. “The Fire of Thornborough Henge” is about an ancient English monument and is my other favorite track from the record. The number contains catchy riffs and is majestically spellbinding. The next two tracks “Petrichor” and “Lugh’s Assembly” slow it down a bit for a solemn tone, a bit bluesy, but still in tune with the heavy material. I particularity love the line “My final sacrifice – it wears me to the bone“. It is yearnfully performed and I seem to be drawn to songs about sacrifice. The record ends with a cover from The Cure oddly enough – “A Forest”. It fits in with the continuity of the album, though is probably my least favorite track on the LP. It doesn’t have the uniqueness of the other songs, but not bad still.

Solennial is a dark yet serene album that emits a visceral sense of the ethereal with a healthy supply of wizardry. The songwriting is strong and varied throughout, never a bore. I really hope this record propels Alunah and allows the band to come to the other side of the pond. This is my favorite release of the year so far for sure.

http://metalrecusants.com/2017/03/18/alunah-solennial/

Que un sello como Svart Records te publique un nuevo disco es sinónimo de calidad y sonido añejo. El sello finlandés además no suele irse de las bandas de su propio país salvo que haya una razón de peso. En el caso de los británicos ALUNAH esa razón de peso son sus fuentes. Con una década de historia y siendo Solennial su cuarto trabajo completo (cada uno en un sello distinto), la música de ALUNAH se centra en bandas derivativas del sonido de BLACK SABBATH más doom como SAINT VITUS, PENTAGRAM, TROUBLE, THE OBSSESSED… todo ello con la voz femenina de Sophie Day, que también se encarga de las seis cuerdas. Eso sí, aunque haya fémina al frente, las referencias que a todos nos podrían venir a la mente (COVEN, BLACK WIDOW…) no son las principales. No hay psicodelia setentera en los surcos de Solennial.

La producción es un elemento diferencial en el trabajo. Su causante es Chris Fielding de CONAN y en los Skyhammer Studios ha logrado dar forma al sonido de ALUNAH. Distorsiona las guitarras para que TROUBLE venga a la mente, pero mantiene limpio y frío el resto, tanto las voces de Sohpie como los solos y los punteos. Esto hace que la música de ALUNAH encaje muy bien con las voces enigmáticas de Sophie, con una carga melódica controlada, pero sensualidad latente en sus cuerdas vocales, especialmente en los momentos más íntimos y personales, como la apertura sosegada y envolvente de “The dying soil”. Desde ese momento obtendremos temas de duración media – larga que fluctúan entre los riffs más pegadizos y cercanos al stoner por un lado, y los pesados y largos desarrollos más doom por otro, haciendo que el devenir del disco se haga muy entretenido.

Probablemente no haya mejor corte detrás de este inquietante inicio que “Light of winter”, con un riff sencillo y pausado que deja en la voz de Sophie y en los ritmos pegadizos de Jake Mason el resto del protagonismo. También excitante aunque sea mucho más extenso, dejando fluir su larga y melódica introducción es “Feast of torches”, con protagonismo al final para un buen solo de guitarra, mientras que Sophie y sus compañeros se marcan un estribillo que se queda a la primera. De aquí en adelante, ALUNAH prefiere meterse más en el fango, siendo “The reckoning of time” el tema más doom y más adelante trayendo a la mente en cierta manera a MY DYING BRIDE con “Petrichor” y la inclusión de un violonchelo entre los instrumentos.

Para cerrar el trabajo y después de “Lugh’s assembly” que recupera el sonido pétreo y pegadizo de un riff principal sencillo pero adictivo, y un estribillo que se queda a la primera, ALUNAH ofrece una versión muy particular del mítico tema de THE CURE “A forest”. Ya son unas cuantas versiones escuchadas por mi parte de este tema, pero es la primera vez que lo escucho de esta forma. Al principio con ese punteo tan característico, acompañado del ritmo machacón y la repetitiva línea de bajo, pensamos que va a ser otra versión más. Pero pronto ALUNAH lo reconvierte en un tema de doom pesado, con riffs tortuosos y la voz de Sophie más fantasmagórica. La línea melódica del tema se reconoce pero el resto es una recomposición absoluta que solo vuelve a recuperar las formas originales al final. Han logrado así hacer suyo un tema que a priori no entraría en el programa de un disco como este.

Clásicos en formas y referencias, con puntos de personalidad propia y un sonido particular ALUNAH ofrece en Solennial un disco muy detallista que pese a estar dirigido a los paladares que gusten de la condena musical, también podrían acercarse a él aquellos que quieran saborear sonidos pausados pero no por ello menos excitantes envueltos en una voz sensual que hace del obscurantismo su biblia particular.

http://subterraneowebzine.com/alunah-gbr-solennial-2017/

‘Solennial’ racks up album number four for Alunah and this one has been on our ‘most eagerly awaited’ list for quite a while. We can’t pretend that we’ve been following Alunah from the very beginning of their 11 year career, but we’ve fallen in love with them over the last couple of albums and the many gigs and festivals we’ve seen them at.

Alunah are a band that have carved a constant upward trajectory through their history. Every release seems to build on the last and every time we see them live we’re blown away even more than the previous time. With (last album) ‘Awakening the Forest’ we thought that the band had just about peaked and reached perfection. ‘Solennial’ has the almost impossible task of living up to that one then…

Well, to cut a long story short and ruin any suspense, ‘Solennial’ has once again upped the game for Alunah. Not that we ever had any doubts, really! The album flows like fresh mountain stream and although made up of eight tracks, it sounds like one complete piece of work. A rarity in this Spotify playlist age, but then you wouldn’t expect anything other than classy work from this band.

Opener ‘The Dying Soil’ is a gentle and soulful intro to the record and immediately shows off Sophie’s voice stripped of the usual waves of doom that accompanies it. Inevitably those walls of heavy fuzz soon arrive in style for the ‘Light of Winter’ and we’re in business!

The pace and balance of the record ebbs and flows beautifully and on first listen you never know what will be  coming next. ‘Feast of Torches’ starts of with another solo vocal from Sophie before the curtains open on some driving Alunah doom swagger. This one should be a real treat played live with a strong chorus line and real upbeat momentum to the music. We might get to find out where the make vocal comes from too.

We’ve already fallen for ‘Solennial’ before ‘Fire of Thornborough Henge’ arrives, but it just keeps getting better. We might be a bit biased because we’ve been hearing this one for a while, but this has to be close to the best song the band have ever written. A track that typifies what Alunah do so effectively with the clean melodic vocals working alongside the dirty great riffs; as much as this record is one majestic single piece of work, this is one track that you can call a standout.

‘Petrichor’ wafts in on the breeze with a warming glow and eases you into the second half of the album. As satisfying as a cuppa and a fag after a big lunch.

The whole album is sounds beautifully earthy and organic. Even the inclusion of a cover doesn’t interrupt the flow with The Cure’s ‘A Forest’ slipping in to finish off the album with a slightly more bouncy theme.

Pretty much anything that comes out of Skyhammer Studio catches our attention and Chris Fielding has done another cracking job with this one. Sophie’s vocals gleam in the production but those little Paradise Lost style guitar passages are magic to CB’s ears. Of course there are plenty of towering riffs to keep us happy too, it’s not all over-polished to the point that you can see your face in it. The whole band have put in a shift to be proud of here.

‘Solennial’ is the sound of a very confident band who are more than comfortable in their craft. It’s the sound of a band who don’t appear to be shackled down; they’ve just gone out and written an album that sounds like a completely natural progression for them and ‘Solennial’ is already cemented as one of our favourite albums of the year. A stunning piece of work from a very classy band indeed!

http://www.cackblabbath.com/2017/03/18/alunah-solennial/

Hi Soph! Tell me about Alunah. Why did you decide to name the band with such title? What kind of ideas do you explore?
Hi Jacob, We were originally called Aluna but were hit with some legal threats from another band, so we changed it to Alunah, purely so it could be pronounced the same and we also liked how the word looked itself. Our drummer came up with Aluna which was named after a Mindfunk song, and when we looked into it we realised it had many links to the natural world, something that I was and am still interested in, therefore a perfect name for us.

“Solennial” album released on March 17th via Svart records. How does that make you feel? Do you feel you have put album into masses without any wishes to change something now?
We’re really exciting about the release, as we recorded it a long time ago now, in September 2016, so we’re really ready for everyone to hear it now. There are always things I want to change or add to our recordings but we have time restraints so it is not possible. Even now, when I sing along to the tracks, I come up with new backing vocal ideas and wish I’d included them, but saying that, I think ‘Solennial’ is the most complete album we have written, and the one I am most happy with.

Tell me more about “Solennial”? Album ideas etc…
I came up with the lyrics, song titles, theme ideas and track order before we actually wrote the music. The theme in each song follows on from the previous track, to form a complete circle and to form a complete story. I’d like listeners to identify what each track means to them rather than me unveiling it for them, but there is a very clear theme running throughout.

Where do you take all inspiration from?
Lyric-wise I take inspiration from the natural world, paganism, folk stories and history. Music-wise we give nods to Black Sabbath, Ahab, and Paradise Lost amongst many others. During the writing of this album I was listening to Crippled Black Phoenix, Hozier, Joe Volk, Rose Kemp, Myrkur, Black Mountain, Darkher, Hexvessel and Pallbearer.
 
In your opinion, what is the best way to define Alunah’s sound?
A recent reviewer called us Heavy Earth Music which I think is just perfect.

So, are you on hiatus now, just relaxed and looking for album feedbacks, or did you started to compose new stuff immediately?
We’re busy rehearsing the tracks ready for tour, as we’ll be playing ‘Solennial’ in full and in track order every night. We probably won’t start seriously thinking about new music until later in the year.

What are your main musical influences? How huge is their influence in your sound?
Other than those mentioned previously, we each have many different influences from the classic rock, soul, blues, Motown, death metal, doom and heavy metal genres. We try not to be influenced too much by other bands, but it’s difficult to avoid sometimes.

Is there some well-known musician in particular that you would like to use in one of your upcoming albums?
I wanted to work with Charlotte Nicholls for many years, after being friends with her and hearing her work with Crippled Black Phoenix and Portishead. I’m so happy she is on ‘Solennial’ as I feel her cello parts add a whole new dimension to the album.

What is your personal strategy for making your music heard by a larger audience?
I don’t think we really have a strategy, but we’re very active in promoting our own music and touring the album is a must.

Do you have any other hobby beside music?
My first love is art and design; I studied Graphic Design at university and am a designer full time. I’ve started getting into jewellery design recently too.

Are you all supported by your relatives towards your devotion to music?
Yes, our family are very supportive of us.

How’s the metal scene in your part of UK right now? Is it easy to play gigs, to buy records etc there these days?
There are many good bands all over the UK, Birmingham doesn’t have much in the way of music that I would want to listen to at the moment, but in terms of getting gigs and buying records, we live in a good part of the world for that.

Thank you for answering my questions, see ya on the road!
Thanks Jacob.

http://sickanddestroy.info/2017/03/17/interview-alunah/

Easy listening doom! It’s nice to be in at the birth of a new musical sub genre – I remember the halcyon days when handbag pasadoble broke big – and it’s an even bigger thrill to coin the new term oneself… so hats off to me!

Of course, I’m being flippant, but there is a real relaxed, somnolent aura hanging around Solennial that means you’ll be able to listen to this record in the late, darklit hours just before the dawn without waking up the neighbours yet still absorbing the spiritual, sensual vibes offered by the record just as was intended by its makers. Everyone wins. Soph Day’s vocals rarely raise themselves to anything more than a beguiling croon – they don’t need to – the chanteuse holding the audience spellbound as she utters eternal pagan verities accompanied by husband Dave’s always tasteful soloing and the sort of restrained riffage all of us need to immerse ourselves in now and then.
Solennial is a short album – only just over half an hour has elapsed before the band launch into a it-has-to-be-heard-to-be-believed cover of The Cure’s goth anthem to end them all A Forest – but the time is used wisely and there is quite simply not one note wasted throughout as the band weave their sonic tapestries into your subconscious almost without you noticing.

Elemental, enthralling, engrossing, Solennial is an album you experience as much as hear, thanks in part to the superb production which allows everyone and every instrument to breathe; Four albums in, Alunah again indicate that there’s a very special something in their music that not all will get at first contact, but all will come to love if they conduct the sort of immersion all religious practices demand at some point. This is strangely powerful, affecting stuff indeed.

http://www.sentineldaily.com.au/alunah-solennial-svart-records/

Thanks to Kim Kelly for working with us to stream Solennial on Noisey...
​

To call a band like Alunah mere "stoner doom" does it an immense disservice, and I'm hoping that the British quartet's new album, Solennial, banishes it from their kingdom once and for all. Sure, sometimes the riffs take on a certain smoky, languid quality, and the pace rarely kicks above an amble, but otherwise, Alunah's sound owes far more to psychedelic 70s rock, classic doom, and even goth rock. It's satisfyingly heavy, but also manages to soar—and to roll out the odd solo to keep things grooving. In a crowded nest of subgenres, Alunah truly stands out.

As is typical with this particular kind of music, the most potent allure resides within the vocals, whose power (or lack thereof) can make or break a bid for success. Luckily for Alunah, their guitarist Sophie Day is also possessed of an amazingly rich voice, one that's almost supernaturally suited to the sustained notes and grandiose, folklore-inflected tales she spins. Paired with the quiet, insistent power of the riffs, her vocals—whether she's delivering them as an airy croon, a full-throated paen to the wonders of nature, or with a sly wink—are intoxicating. If you need a little something to get your spirits up and your head bobbing at your desk this afternoon, this record is exactly the cure for whatever malaise ails you.

Day commented, "After a long few months of keeping these songs to ourselves, we are thrilled to be revealing them via Noisey. Whilst writing and recording Solennial we went through the worst kind of grief, losing parents and watching other family members battle illness. Writing this album has given us strength, kept us from falling apart and has offered a certain catharsis. Chris Fielding was amazing to work with, during what was a difficult time for us personally. It feels like the most complete album we have written, it is the one we are most proud of and we are staggered by the incredible response it has received so far. Solennial is the album we have been leading up to for 11 years."

Stop wasting time, and go listen to Solennial below—it's out March 17 via Svart Records.

https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/alunahs-solennial-lights-a-torch-to-illuminate-these-dark-winter-days

Ik heb geen idee of 'labelhopping' een erkend fenomeen is, maar als dat zo is heeft de Britse band Alunah dit verschijnsel inmiddels wel tot kunst verheven. Het gezelschap rond het echtpaar Day (gitaren en zang) bracht tot deze maand drie albums uit bij drie verschillende labels; het meest recente album Awakening The Forest (2014) verscheen via Napalm Records. Op 17 maart verschijnt het vierde album Solennial, het eerste voor het Finse Svart Revords.

Veel van wat ik over voorgaande albums van Alunah schreef - na Awakening The Forest kwamen ook de twee re-releases van de eerste twee albums aan bod - is nog altijd van toepassing. Zoals zo veel doombands is Alunah stijlvast. Niet dat alle albums zo op elkaar lijken, maar de basis van lome, zware doomriffs, de dromerige zangstem, en een vleugje groove staat vast. Daar kan zelfs de afsluitende 'bonus' - een behoorlijk verrassende en eigen interpretatie van The Cure's A Forest - niks aan veranderen.

The Dying Soil is nog een soort van intro, dat eerder de psychedelische kant van de band laat horen. De logge, groovende riff waarmee Light of Winter van start gaat maakt daar korte metten mee, en maakt duidelijk waar het hier om gaat: doom! Opvallend genoeg is dit ook nog een korte track, niet echt des dooms zeg maar, maar daarom niet minder lekker. Misschien juist door de compacte vorm zelfs wel een beetje pakkend.

Het 'echte' werk begint dan met Feast Of Torches. Dit zal de verstokte liefhebber toch wel aanspreken zeker, al kan het zomaar zo zijn dat de old school doomfan weinig kan met een zangeres. Toch is deze hier zeer op haar plaats, het geeft Alunah namelijk wel degelijk iets eigens, en plaatst de band als het ware tussen de klassieke doom en de hedendaagse stroom psychedelische retro rockbands met zangeres. Dat is voor mij gevoelsmatig in elk geval wel een beetje waar Alunah thuis hoort. En dat bedoel ik positief hoor!

Ook de komende drie nummers laten horen dat je klassieke doom metal prima kwijt kunt in compacte tracks. Of is dat vloeken in de kerk? Ik vind van niet, Alunah bewijst dat met een paar sfeervolle tracks, die lekker wegluisteren. Al moet ik eerlijk zeggen dat Petrichor me iets te ingetogen is. Gelukkig wordt dat goedgemaakt met Lugh's Assembly, een ouderwets lange en zware doom-stamper. Zeker, deze mag ik wel!

Het lijkt er op dat Alunah met elk album dat ze maken telkens nog weer stapjes vooruit zetten. Qua composities, sfeer en inhoud is Solennial denk ik wel het meest complete album van Alunah tot nu toe. Dat alleen is al een fijne constatering. Ga zo door zou ik zeggen!

https://www.wingsofdeath.net/Alunah-Solennial

When Alunah released their previous album Awakening the Forest at the tail-end of 2014, I couldn’t help but feel that whilst the album was good, there was something a little lacking with it – but with Solennial, that feeling has gone and this is a powerful and memorable album that will certainly leave an impression on you.

Like I mentioned in my review of their last album, the vocals are a definite high point to the music; there’s an innate gloominess to them yet their melody adds a great element of lightness to the heavier, doomier instrumentation underneath. The instrumentation is nice and varied too, with some parts being crushingly heavy whilst others being a little gentler and melodic in their delivery.

An early highlight comes in the form of second track Light Of Winter, which is led into nicely from the introductory-style opener The Dying Soil. The fuzzy guitars that open up the song sound utterly filthy in the best possibility, and the light female vocals juxtapose really well against the sludgier undertones as a result, especially when the two different lines follow the same melody – it really hits you hard as a result! Meanwhile fourth track The Reckoning Of Time has a bit of a psychedelic vibe to it at times, which helps to mix things up a little.

Solennial feels like a big step up from Alunah’s last release and this is a truly exciting piece that will really get under your skin the more you listen to it! This is addictive, memorable and very powerful – and it’s absolutely fantastic.

9/10

http://www.soundscapemagazine.com/alunah-solennial-review/

Alunah’s trajectory has soared relentlessly upwards since the Birmingham doom quartet formed in 2010. Since the release five years ago of their debut album Call of Avernus, Alunah have continued to grow their fanbase, initially beyond their West Midlands home and across the UK, to the point where they are now welcome guests at some of Europe’s leading doom and underground festivals.

The release of the captivating White Hoarhound in 2012 really propelled Alunah forward, with Awakening The Forest continuing the good work a couple of years later. Solennial is their fourth album but first to be released via Svart Records. While their penchant for heavy down-tuned riffage has placed them at the fore of the UK’s burgeoning doom scene, Alunah’s own style is more ethereal than heavy slugging doom outfits such as the much missed Wounded Kings.

Within their dark passages are psychedelic phases that reach back in time to a more binary age while the grooves and solos carved out by the band enable them to reach out to an audience possibly not ready to be poleaxed by the likes of Electric Wizard. The pearl in the Alunah oyster is singer Soph Day who has a beguiling voice that could melt your ice cream before Mr Whippy has even handed it through the hatch. Her multi-faceted vocal tones are at times sublime although a black magic mix of sorcery is usually within arm’s reach.

This album, which incidentally is blessed with some incredible sleeve artwork courtesy of Adrian Baxter, features eight tracks and stretches across 45 minutes. As with so much of the great material UK doom fans have been able to enjoy in recent years, Solennial was recorded under the deft hands of Chris Fielding at Skyhammer Studios, itself owned by Jon Davis, the singer with battle metal mavericks Conan.

While doom often pounds you into merciless submission with its repetitive and unrelenting aural attacks, Alunah adopt a less abrasive approach and Solennial follows on from the excellent Awakening the Forest, although if anything the growing maturity of the Midlanders is in evidence early on. You kind of feel Alunah are now comfortable in their own skin. They are sure of their place in the world, able to pursue their own melancholic path without the need to seek approval or confirmation.

‘The Dying Soil’ is the first and shortest of the eight songs, acting as a somnambulant scene setter, full of mysterious twists and gentle cascading rhythms. The tempo gradually warms in intensity before it bleeds into the next track ‘Light of Winter’ in which Alunah’s familiar fuzzed up bass line surfaces for the first time.

Soph has a vocal style recognizable for being both beguiling and bewitching at the same time. As the riff surges take on greater urgency ‘Light of Winter’ starts to grow in stature as it quickly takes on the form of a future stage favourite. 

A delicate softly spoken intro leads into ‘Feast of Torches’ but this song quickly lights up like a beacon, some riveting riff interplay from guitarist Dave Day and bassist Daniel Burchmore with Soph sounding close to her most sublime, with her spiralling vocal cry falling like snowdrops. As always with these majestic Midlanders you get that wonderful juxtaposition of beauty and the beast, good and evil, and where one goes the other is never far away.

‘The Reckoning of Time’ is one of the album’s darker tracks, full of somber expressions, drummer Jake Mason providing a monotone backdrop to an aural canvas of bleak sonnets with just occasional guitar spirals throwing a shard or two of light across an otherwise cold landscape.

Alunah are in captivating form on ‘Fire of Thornborough Henge’ a song full of mystic powers with some wonderfully kaleidoscopic grooves tussling alongside the deepened rough cuts generated through Burchmore’s relentless bass badgering. As for Soph, her almost fragile vocals would make angels weep while the prog flourish towards the end makes this a compelling composition even by Alunah’s own exalted standards. 

Emotion levels ease off a little on the monstrous ‘Petrichor’ on which Alunah administer more lessons from the darkside. Not for the first time in their career Alunah turn to an eerie wooded world in which to carve their engaging soundtracks. In fact at times it seems such is their relationship with a kind of pagan forest and mysterious woodlands that their forthcoming UK tour should be sponsored by the Forestry Commission. This is not the only song on the album to be enhanced by the sensitive cello playing of Charlotte Nicholls, and the union succeeds in adding another layer to Alunah’s comforting blanket of doom.

Penultimate piece ‘Lugh’s Assembly’ has that distinctive Alunah quality that has become so familiar in recent years. The bassline is so fuzzed up you almost feel someone will get their clippers out to bring it back down to size. The tempo is tantalising, the infectious momentum steadily building over a cascading cushion of guitars that quickly works their way into your bloodstream. 

Having touched on Alunah’s appetite for woodlands then what other possible Cure song could they seek to cover than ‘A Forest’. Initially trialled at a few live shows it became an instant favourite to the point where fans were disappointed if it wasn’t on the set-list. Using it to sign off an album of the highest order is a great touch, and certainly no easy exit. Alunah haven’t simply copied The Cure’s masterpiece but shuffled its contents and then reformed and re-presented it in their own inimitable shape. 

Almost as a tribute to the 80s goth giants, the first distinctive guitar strums are as they were back in the day but then Alunah take ‘A Forest’ into a whole new direction. The pace is more pedestrian, the atmosphere and ambience much darker although the final presentation every bit as engrossing as Robert Smith’s original.  Soph actually brings a more distressed dimension to things with a tangible sense of fear in her voice…. When she sings “I’m lost in the forest” you really fear the worst.

Fortunately for all of us she navigates through the darkened maze to emerge blinking into the light. Alunah are far too good to stay in the shadows.

9/10

http://antichristmagazine.com/review-alunah-solennial/

Ce qui est merveilleux dans l'univers du métal, c'est d'avoir la chance de découvrir des groupes qui se démarquent fortement des standards habituels. C'est le cas d'Alunah (Ex Aluna) qui nous vient d'Angleterre, nous offrant son 4ème opus, et officiant toujours dans un registre Doom Stoner presque psychédélique. Vous me direz que le Doom Stoner a déjà été plus que largement exploré et qu'il semble donc bien ardu d'apporter une once d'originalité vu la conjoncture scénique de ce sous-genre.

Je tenais aussi à préciser que je possède une totale aversion pour le Stoner qui symbolise la pleine antinomie de mes valeurs de sage homme. C'est dire les qualités qu'il faudrait à un groupe de ce genre pour qu'il puisse me toucher, et plus encore, pour qu'il puisse éveiller un sentiment positif en mon être profond. Pourtant, du haut de ses 9 ans d'expérience, Alunah est parvenu à éveiller tout mon intérêt.

Leur nouvel album est tout simplement génial. Comment se l'expliquer? Il suffit de poser les oreilles sur l'oeuvre pour le comprendre...

Dès l'introduction « The Dying Soil », nous découvrons un univers léthargique extraordinaire qui se voit consolidé par une chanteuse d'un autre monde. Le timbre vocal de Sophie Day relève d'une autre sphère. Elle parvient à enrichir la musique apaisante sans y placer d'émotion. Elle surplombe l'ensemble, occupant une dimension éthérée. Ses notes nous parviennent du monde supra sensible.

S'enchaîne « Light of Winter » qui possède un riffing puissant, loin des explorations techniques mais qui touchent là où il convient. Par son style particulier, David Day nous emmène vraiment dans la quintessence du Doom. Le jeu de basse de Dan Burchmore est gras à souhait, c'est lourd, prégnant. Une chape d'angoisse vous tombe sur le plexus solaire. Votre conscience est interpellée par la voix presque divine de Sophie. Jake Mason apporte un soutien de batterie qui se veut dynamisant, histoire de vous garder bien en vie.

« Feast of Torches » nous garde dans cette atmosphère méta-dimensionnelle. Le mouvement s'accélère dans la première minute, nous replongeant dans la majesté d'un bon « Black Sabbath » mais sans volonté d'en plagier le brio. Leur évolution fait l'objet d'une fluidité naturelle et harmonieuse. Dans le chant, un accompagnement masculin apparaît, se démarquant d'une seconde ligne à tendance mélodique. Ce canon est d'une froideur cadavérique que ne renierait pas un pur fan de Black métal. Pour notre plus grand bonheur, le morceau dure plus de 7 minutes. On en redemande.

La 4ème piste, « The Reckoning of Time », démarre dans un chaos rythmique de très bon aloi pour nous faire ré atterrir dans une ambiance plus paisible, guidée par des riffings pausés et éparses, amenant un sentiment de bien-être. La guitare prend quelques libertés dans des soli maîtrisés.Sophie illumine l'ensemble, offrant une sorte de centralité dans la masse organique. Comment ne pas être envoûté sur une telle perle musicale ?

Sur « Fire of Thornborough Henge », Alunah, dès ses premières notes, parvient à nous rendre quasiment sous dépendance de sa substance musicale. La profondeur reste de mise. Le tempo est langoureux à souhait. 

Justement, en matière de slow tempo, « Petrichor », 6ème piste va encore plus loin, nous offrant une véritable quiétude. Le chant reste toujours aussi détaché. La frappe de Jake nous hypnotise littéralement. 

Sur « Lugh's Assembly », celui qui doutait encore d'un lien divin, peut lever le voile du scepticisme tant l'hommage à ce Dieu celtique, père de la création et spécialiste de la communication, s'impose à nous. Nous comprenons que les notes vocales de Sophie ne relèvent pas du chant mais constituent des psalmodies incantatoires. A 4'30, le morceau prend encore en altitude presque spatiale. La guitare vous retire toute agressivité naturelle pour vous immerger dans la sérénité.

L'album se clôture sur une reprise des cultissimes « The Cure », Alunah s'attaque à « A Forest », parvenant à le sublimer dans cet univers Doomesque qu'il maîtrise parfaitement. S'il peut s'avérer être sacrilège que de reprendre des morceaux musicaux historiques, force est de constater que dans le cas présent, nos Anglais apportent leur propre griffe, transformant totalement la matrice originelle. L'esprit gothique reste bien présent malgré cette customisation. Surprenant mais ô combien sympathique. 

« Solennial » s'avère au final un album extrêmement planant, se démarquant des standards du stoner Doom pour emprunter des voies plus spirituelles et vous relier au Divin. Il y a, par-delà ce travail artistique, l'apport de vertus curatives issues des sources de vieilles pratiques magiques celtiques. C'est à un très beau voyage que vous invite Alunah.

http://www.unitedrocknations.com/chronique-solennial-alunah-901

Das vierte Album der britischen Band beginnt ruhig, geradezu meditativ. Der Auftakt des Albums, „The Dying Soil“ lässt einen sofort etwas entspannen und zurücklehnen. Mit nicht zu tief gestimmten Gitarren geht es, begleitet von sehr versiertem Gesang in „Light of Winter“ weiter. Zur Mitte des Songs wartet ein Solo, das eine Geschichte zu erzählen versucht. Wer sich darauf einlässt, kann sich wunderbar in das begleitende Riff fallen lassen.
„Feast of Torches“ führt den erzählenden Charakter weiter, ist dabei irgendwie groovig und macht einen wunderbar durchdachten Eindruck. Der Chor in der Mitte des Songs fügt sich wunderbar in das Gesamtbild ein. Erneut erfolgt ein Solo, das zum Träumen einlädt und schließlich wieder von einem Chor abgelöst wird. Nummer vier, „The Reckoning of Time“, wird noch einmal ruhiger, verzerrte Gitarren sind erst gegen Mitte des Songs zu hören, neben denen Sophie Day unverändert ruhig weitersingt.

Das Video zu „Fire of Thornborough Henge“ untermalt die musikalische Darbietung ausgezeichnet, der Song ist schön groovig, macht erneut alles richtig. Er erscheint wie die logische Fortsetzung der vorherigen Songs und verbindet die Dinge, die mir gut gefallen noch einmal zu einem Großartigen Lied. „Petrichor“ nimmt das Tempo noch einmal eine Stufe zurück und ist trotz durchaus starker Riffs wohl das langsamste, verträumteste Lied des Albums. Lugh’s Assembly“ und „A Forest“ setzen den Stil des Albums und der Band eindrucksvoll fort, auf „Lugh’s Assembly“ gibt es allerdings einen kurzen Part männlichen Gesangs, der vorher nicht einzeln, sondern nur im Hintergrund zu hören war.

Für alle Leute, die etwas zum Entspannen oder Träumen suchen, ist dieses Album genau das Richtige. Auf diesem Album wartet Doom Metal auf ganz hohem Niveau, ohne trotz ausgesprochen guter Produktion überzüchtet zu sein. Von mir gibt’s dafür ´ne klare Kaufempfehlung!

http://www.zephyrs-odem.de/cd-reviews/detail/alunah-solennial-2017-6473/#.WMgOH_mLS70