https://solstice-englander.bandcamp.com/album/white-thane
It was a pity to see Paul Kearns go but it looks like they have a replacement. These are good renditions of familiar sounds but the real test will be to hear how the next batch of songs turns out. I'm listening!
Interesting change there, I'll give those songs a spin later.
When did paul split?
Presume he had enough of Rich.
New female vocalist. Nothing wrong with that. In relation to these songs, however, I think the music has always been amazing, and yet the production on the vocals has never matched the quality. Recording and capturing vocal performances is a really difficult art and despite really liking their recent output, I think it could sound immense with the right sound. Just my tuppence. This new release sounds really cool in places vocally though I'd prefer the last singer for these particular songs. Future efforts could be really cool though.
With Kearns and this new one, and the previous one too if I remember correctly, the vocals have always had too much of a crooning sound for my tastes, like it's both partially improvised and also never fully breaks out, the sheen is restrained.
Completely agree. The sheen is restrained and I think it's done on purpose. However, them 2 tunes in particular deserve a Sad Wings era performance they're that good.
I have no idea what 'the sheen is restrained' means :laugh:
:laugh: I think it means it has a boxy underground feel to it when ut should in fact sound like mid 80's Manowar. I'm nitpicking though and it's easy to talk when mid 80's Manowar would probably be the diffetence between swnding the kids to college or not.
Sheen, Mr Sheen, Martin 'Sheen'...then again loads of crust smelly metallers probably never used Mr Sheen in their lives 😂
I'm just making up shit trying to communicate what I mean; the vocal doesn't soar out of the mix, it doesn't soar out of the throat, like the timbre is dulled. Paul had it, this new one had it, but Filipe from Possession also has it, singer from Darkest Era has it; I think it's maybe the sound of the top of the mouth rather than the back of the throat. Makes it sound a bit too croony to be genuinely epic.
Granted they are only rehearsals of already existing tracks and I've only listened once but new singer not bringing a lot to the table there.
There's not the expressive quality of previous singers that this band should have to accompany the instrumentation, but only fair to suspend judgement til heard on her own material.
Just fired on Halcyon. I haven't listened to the mighty Solstice in a while but I foresee a binge ahead 8)
Lamentations fired up on the decks of steel. What an album.
Just class them albums
I think Solstice have such a unique and identifiable sound and each singer has brought something new to each record. I loved Kearns's era with the band but I'm sure the new singer will bring a different feel completely to the next phase. It would almost be a mistake for Solstice to have the same singer over two albums at this stage.
Lamentations on. What a masterpiece. I know the vocals are and will forever be contentious with Solstice and they were the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place for me when getting into them, but I wouldn't have them any other way. Kind of a bit polite, but so totally integral to the overall sound for me now I'd hate to hear some brute howling them out. The music is unique and the not exactly in your face vocals are unique. Here's hoping for some new stuff soon. All hail the mighty Solstice!
Just after playing New Dark Age - been a while - still great stuff and good memories.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on December 30, 2020, 10:48:20 PM
Lamentations on. What a masterpiece. I know the vocals are and will forever be contentious with Solstice and they were the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place for me when getting into them, but I wouldn't have them any other way. Kind of a bit polite, but so totally integral to the overall sound for me now I'd hate to hear some brute howling them out. The music is unique and the not exactly in your face vocals are unique. Here's hoping for some new stuff soon. All hail the mighty Solstice!
Yep, amazing.
It seems Isen Torr has been reactivated with a new lineup. Hopefully this means Rich is on the mend. I had 'Mighty & Superior' on the other evening and its such a great EP. Whoever M.S. is, I hope he/ she can capture something of the magic of Tony Taylor's performance on those songs. Uniqueness is what I'm taking about essentially.
Solstice binge. Man, there's no other band quite like them. I see the dude from Walcensmen (they sound good) and Wynterfylleth (not into them at all), Dan Capp, has joined the band... on guitar maybe? Will we see a new EP soon I wonder and hope.
Who's on vocals now?
A Canadian chick from the band Chalice.
They weren't on my radar, had a listen there - can't say I'm overly enthused to hear what comes from the Solstice camp next
Quote from: Eoin McLove on July 17, 2021, 06:17:05 AMIt seems Isen Torr has been reactivated with a new lineup. Hopefully this means Rich is on the mend. I had 'Mighty & Superior' on the other evening and its such a great EP.
Completely, that EP is perfect. Good to hear they're back.
Yet another new singer, Dan Capp from Winterfylleth. He's well matched with Walker, they both love a conspiracy.
A better for than the chick from Chalice I reckon. He might bring back the folkiness of early Solstice.
Well I doubt he's shagging Capp, so there's that.
How long will this singer last?
Becoming a bit farcical now. They'll have more singers than Skid Row at this rate.
Solstice are great but that Walker lad is a serious spastic. I've no doubt he's central to the high turnover of singers. Had a listen to that podcast with him, Dan Capp and Rob Miller recently. Absolute hokum, Rich Walker constantly banging on about his auld lad who used to work "down mines" before moving onto, inevitably enough, chemtrails. You really have to separate the art from the artist, otherwise you'd never listen to anything half decent.
Did they have a girl singer for a week ?
New dark age is a really great LP and the singer wasnt great so stop blaming the singers for yer lack of good output .it helps but any gowl can hold a tune.
Quote from: Shitstirrer on October 14, 2023, 12:26:32 AMDid they have a girl singer for a week ?
About six months, while they were riding. Once that stopped she was gone. I spoke to a former band member a few weeks ago and heard a few stories, for instance: his 'health problems' during covid (remember his Gofundme?) weren't anything of the sort either. He was just skint and wanted easy money.
QuoteSolstice are great but that Walker lad is a serious spastic. I've no doubt he's central to the high turnover of singers. Had a listen to that podcast with him, Dan Capp and Rob Miller recently. Absolute hokum, Rich Walker constantly banging on about his auld lad who used to work "down mines" before moving onto, inevitably enough, chemtrails. You really have to separate the art from the artist, otherwise you'd never listen to anything half decent
Spot on. Rich is indeed a dick. He's never come across as anything less.
I remember picking up New Dark age when it came out and reading the accompanying interview in Terrorizer on the bus journey home and thinking it was pure cringe. My young self nearly vomiting with Rich's elitism, it wasn't done with any sense of humour either. Here was a grown man wasting an opportunity to promote his record and preferred to whine that their lack of traction was down to too many "weak minded fools that listen to machine head" and so forth.
Caught them with Primordial in Slattery's was it that year or the year after? And sadly in the flesh he came across as a complete cranky rock star which was ironic given his waffling to the contrary in interviews. Anyone who knows what Slattery's was like would know how hard it was to move about when the place was wedged. He spent the entire Primordial set barging through the crowd from bar to stage for god knows what, wouldn't entertain anyone while he was at it either. Stark contrast to the primordial lads who were all sound. Solstice were great that night but Rich had loads of technical issues and couldn't get his gig going - was half glad for him.
After that you had his constant besmirching of Hamish's name because he went to My Dying Bride, and either Aaron or Andrew were constantly in the mix there. Coupled with the fact used to frequent the old board on a semi regular basis to threaten anyone that disagreed with him with a hiding I went off them totally for a while.
But you're right, within reason I usually separate art from artist, otherwise I'd have a very small record collection. New Dark Age and Halycon are stone cold classics, he's obviously a talented bloke when it comes to putting this stuff together.
I thought the stuff with Paul Kearn's showed promise but I don't think they quite delivered what they were capable of, some of the recording was questionable - demo quality and vocals out of tune and so forth, they were all capable of more. But no denying there's great material to emerge from that period. Think Death's Crown gets almost as much rotation as the earlier material despite the aforementioned gremlins.
Since then it's just been a load of horseshit, the announcements now seem to be just for lineup changes. Can't really get excited for any new vocalist when they seem to slip in and out without even recording a note. I think it's a shame Paul isn't still doing it - really thought he suited them perfectly.
Says it all really.......
https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Solstice/718#band_tab_members_past
Yeah, I can actually remember the blurb for his fundraiser where the lad from Cruz del Sur more or less admitted that Rich was a dick...while asking for people to donate a few bob for some unknown surgery which he had to get, but wouldn't elaborate as to what is actually was.
"Maybe Rich hasn't always been the kindest person around. We all know his outspoken opinions and sometimes even more outlandish comments have created issues with some of you for sure. But we all have issues, haven't we? Maybe we act or react in different ways but we all have had issues with someone at some point."
Kind of a hard sell really. Wonder how it went in the end?
He got 12k USD from it.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/rich-walker-surgery-fund
I have to say, in general a lot of those metal go fund me yolks are a complete scam. Anathema, Gary Holt's and Obituary's spring to mind.
Whatever about all of that stuff, I am looking forward to hearing new music. I have no interest in the things the lads were on about in that podcast- it just means nothing to me on any level - but the fact that they seem to share a common outlook may result in less friction for the current incarnation of the band. Solstice have been on the go for a long time now and the lineup has always been in some state of flux, so there's nothing new in that. As long as Rich is at the helm we are sure to be guaranteed a delivery of high quality doom metal. He has a really unique style of composing that is as thuggishly heavy as it is delicate and complex, and as long as the music continues to come every several years, and he has the right band of merry men around him at the right time to make that happen then I'm satisfied. They are a one in a million band in a doom scene that is 99% generic blandness. Rich is a character, no doubt, but he's a visionary. If he steps on toes along the way then so be it. Solstice forever! 8)
Oh without a doubt, they're a very unique band and if Rich's overall contrariness contributes to that, then more power to them. At the same time though, I always felt that a great singer as part of a stable line-up was the missing ingredient.
Aye, I'd be totally with you on that one JK.
I've accepted that singers come and go in Solstice and have come to enjoy the variety :laugh:
Yer all wasting your time on that Solstice bollixs when ye all know this is the best shit he put out
Average level singers are par for the course with that band, TBF. Imagine them with someone like Rob Lowe, jesus they'd be unstoppable.
Ah come on. I think the singers have been excellent, just not your typical metal wailers. That's part of what sets them apart for me. I'm not a fan of Lowe's vocals at all so you chose a bad example there :laugh:
I prefer singers with personality than perfectly trained ones in general.
I was listening to New Dark Age the other day on a walk (edit: I have it on now, it's hitting the spot) and the thing that came to mind straight away was that it could have done with a decent singer. That being said, it wouldn't be the album I love so...
The vocals took a while for me to fall in love with because they are sort of quaint against the super heavy riffs. But that's exactly what I love about them now. That contrast is magical I think. Visionary, even! I think that having a "better" or more typical singer on the early Solstice albums would add nothing, and maybe rob them of a lot of their alchemy. Kearns is more of a belter of a vocalist but his voice worked well on the last album and EP. I think the production on that recent album lacks some of the heft of the early stuff but the songs are great. I hope the next batch of songs gets the proper full-heft production job of yore .
Yeah, his voice was great but the music behind it was a bit flat. IMO he's a better singer than the bands he's been in.
Ah no. Solstice and Arcane Sun are well up there for me.
I knew him in the Fifth Dominion days, so I might be coming from that angle. I should probably point out that I'm a fan of both of those bands. White Horse Hill is astounding, for instance.
"Deaths Crown Is Victory" is brilliant, was the gig in the Pint, On The Rox 2018?
That was brilliant. Place over filled!
What a gig.
"Death's Crown" put Solstice back on the radar for me...... "To Sol A Thane" was a nose dive, I've no interest now.
A brief snippet of rehearsal footage up on Instagram tonight, which does indeed sound promising.
Where to begin with Solstice
I'd go for New Dark Age, others might suggest Lamentations. The Halcyon EP is also great, you can't go wrong with any of those really. All remastered/reissued recently too.
New dark age yes I know that one
https://youtu.be/FPAtV0cLy9s?si=_M6RKa8v3rdXaix6
The new lineup is sounding strong I think. And for the day that's in it I've just lashed on Blood Fire Doom 8)
The solstice occurs on the small hours of Friday morning.
They sound decent alright, his vocals are very similar to Ingram's.
The angle on that video looks odd, is it one of those 360⁰ cameras?
It's Friday here.
I listened to most of Alan's podcast with Dan Capp earlier. I was excited to hear that they have one full new song more or less in the bag and Rich mentioned in the comment section of a recent YouTube video that he might soon upload a demo. From what I've heard of Dan I think his voice well be a great fit. His more folkish delivery works well in the context of their earlier stuff, but he also seems well able to handle Kearns's songs. I am excited to hear what he can bring to new material, and I'm also interested to see where Rich has taken the musical style. Will he return to a more folky style or continue down the route of White Horse Hill. Maybe a new departure again. Electro goth? Industrial tinged nu metal? Djent?? Who knows...