Gone In April: Threads of Existence
Metal comes in many forms, so it's no surprise that it's continually parsed into so many subgenres that it's almost impossible to keep track of where bands fit in anymore. This is especially true of Gone In April, who just released their sophomore effort Threads of Existence on February 12th.
The album opens with "Dawn of Time," an almost-instrumental (with the exception of a distant chorus) clocking in just under two minutes, which is all the time needed to exemplify the epic depth this band is capable of achieving. We're immediately thrown into a full dose of intensity on "The Curtain Will Rise." For the uninitiated, the harsh vocals of Aaron Rogers could be an immediate turn off, but I implore you to keep going. Any metal fan will instantly be drawn to the driving force of Yanic Bercier on drums. Meanwhile, Rogers' aggressive vocals are equally matched by the beauty of Julie Bélanger Roy's approach. The two vocal styles in this band present a fairly unique balance of beauty and brutality that will keep any curious listener interested.
This formula is fairly consistent throughout the album, with the exception of "Embracing the Light," where Julie takes on full vocal duty and alternates between French and English lyrics. This is easily the most subdued track on the album, making for a great half-time break before the intensity picks right back up again.
The second half of this album is kicked off with "A Million Souls Gather," where we get a great demonstration of the string section. Julie takes up violin duty, which is offset but some excellent guitar work by Marc-Andre Gingras. The aptly-titled "Relentless" follows, featuring a dominant vocal performs by Aaron Rogers, which is once again wonderfully complimented by Julie. Here, we also get a great sample of a band willing to let their bass player sound like a bass player, as Steve Di Giorgio's sound is brought to the front.
Interestingly, this is the only band I can think of where the vast majority of the lyrics are composed by the drummer, Yanic. Essentially, Gone In April presents a blend of metal with elements of symphonic, death, speed and goth. Most importantly, they have a blend that is their own, resulting in an album of diverse heavy music that is impressively complex and aggressive. I would recommend a listen to their newest release to any fan of a European style of metal, or anyone that enjoys the kind of complex music that makes you think while taking it all in.
Gone In April are:
Julie Bélanger Roy - Violin/Viola and Vocals
Aaron Rogers - Vocals
Marc-Andre Gingras - Guitars
Steve Di Giorgio - Bass
Yanic Bercier - Drums
