The Lumberjack Feedback is a French instrumental metal band that blends elements of doom, sludge and post-metal into their thunderous sound. If you like chugging riffs, catchy melodies and heavy sonic journeys, that are saturated in blistering atmospherics, then give Lumberjack’s new album, The Stronghold, a spin. This release reminds me of early Russian Circles or Tempel – that wonderful blend of heavy riffs and post-rock melody with layers of entrancing atmospheres, all driven by a cacophony of rattling drums. Mmwah! This is some serious top-shelf heavy instrumental headphone music!
The new release is only five songs but each clocks in at least six minutes so there is plenty of music to enjoy. The song structures are often in a post-rock vein with extravagant sonic odysseys on a melody but the sound is unmistakably more sludgy and doom-inspired. The low end of their music, punched out by bassist Louis Corteel, is very pronounced and hefty while the guitars sound fuzzy, biting and aggressive. The sound is very satisfying to my metal ears. About the album the band “wanted to create an immersive sonic journey that takes listeners on a wild ride through a diverse range of emotions and atmospheres. Each track is a story in itself, crafted with passion and intensity. From the crushing heaviness to the subtle intricacies, we aimed to push boundaries and explore new sonic territories. We hope listeners will immerse themselves in the music and discover something new with each listen.” I think that is the goal for most instrumental music and The Lumberjack Feedback has certainly created some immersive, emotional material.
Without a vocalist to create tension and mood, The Lumberjack Feedback capably relies on their instruments to tell their sonic stories. The musicianship is great throughout the album. The songs evoke emotion by challenging the listener with plenty of tempo changes and clever song structures that add and subtract sonic elements during their run time. Not to overstate the obvious, but sometimes it is refreshing to hear all of the instruments without a singer growling over top of the mix. This is especially true with metal, with all its extreme vocal deliveries. Being able to hear all of the instrumentation means there is nowhere to hide in the mix. The music has to be memorable and emotive, and I found that it was.
You may have noticed how upfront the drums are in the mix – good ear! – this is due to the band having two drummers…! So most of the percussion is (presumably) doubled in the recording giving it a beefy, orotund sound. This is especially noticeable when the drummers (Virgile Chaize and Alexis Delahousse) are rolling around the toms, smashing out a groovy beat or hitting a sudden accent cymbal…The drums sound commanding, almost with a tribal vibe at times. The Lumberjack Feedback says: “having two drummers gives our music an extra punch. It makes the beats more intricate and powerful, driving the songs with unstoppable energy. We can play around with rhythms and syncopation, making the music more interesting and captivating for our audience…” I would say mission accomplished.
The first track released from The Stronghold is ‘Failing to Witness His Mighty Work’. This track opens with a striking shimmery melody, then the heavy guitars drop, followed by a sudden acoustic segue. The guitar work by Simon Herbaut and Geoffrey Gosset always works to better the song. Whether it is massive chugging riffs, a brief acoustic interlude or segues into new melodies the duo display notable chops throughout The Stronghold. There is also a lot to take in on ‘Failing to Witness His Mighty Work’. The Lumberjack Feedback creates a stirring song as they are constantly flexing the tonality while stitching diverse sonic elements together. I imagine the quieter passages between the walls of heavy guitar would go over really well live. A noteworthy aspect of The Lumberjack Feedback’s music is how they allow their music to breathe to serve the song. They aren’t afraid of silence and moving instruments in and out of the mix to create compelling compositions and ‘Failing to Witness His Mighty Work’ is another example of this. The song titles do not have religious connotations but the band says: “[the songs] are open to interpretation. Our intention with these tracks wasn’t about religion but definitely to explore themes of spirituality, reflection, and the every human experience. We aimed to evoke a range of emotions and provoke thought through our music.” The Lumberjack Feedback have elevated the material on The Stronghold and it is capable of the desired visceral and contemplative response from its listener.
I found ‘But All Remembered the Place’ to be an incredibly emotive track. It has pounding toms, tension-filled, chugging guitar all wrapped in a smothering aural atmosphere of impending uncertainty. It’s a big bunch of hell yeah – a headbanger for sure! ‘King and Servants’ starts off slow and ponderous then suddenly, the track is engulfed in an assault of doomy riffs and penetrating, crisp guitar over some lovely atmospheric vocal synths. The engrossing atmospherics add a rich sonic colour to the character of this track. Every track offers unique and memorable aspects and they are all rockers.
The Lumberjack Feedback has an impressive release here. The Stronghold encompasses the best aspects of instrumental metal which can hit you hard emotionally and even conceptually. The tracks have character and vibrance. They are heavy and lumbering, yet maintain a tight sonic structure with haunting melodies. If this sounds good to you (and it should!) then get yourself to the gate of The Stronghold and toss up your horns! \m/
Incroyable! A loud and low gem.
