Solstice

[Eoin McLove]

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!

[Carnage]

Interesting change there, I'll give those songs a spin later.

[Cryptic Stench]

When did paul split?

Presume he had enough of Rich.

[Pedrito]

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.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

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.

[Pedrito]

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.

[Eoin McLove]

I have no idea what 'the sheen is restrained' means 

[Pedrito]

  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 😂

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

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.

[Grim Reality]

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.

[Eoin McLove]

Just fired on Halcyon. I haven't listened to the mighty Solstice in a while but I foresee a binge ahead 

[Eoin McLove]

Lamentations fired up on the decks of steel. What an album.

[Pedrito]

Just class them albums

[Eoin McLove]

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.

[Eoin McLove]

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!