The selfproclaimed Heavy industrial collective Lament Cityscape released at the end of 2020 the EP “The Old Wet” the finale of the trilogy of a conceptual imagery that has been slightly evolving and developing and throughout three consecutive releases throughout 2020.
Which such an introduction as this i usualy takes some time to try to analyze the lyrical connections between the different creations. However, with the choice of vocalistic tonality this becomes more challenging to me. Both as a no native englishspeaker as well as a newcomer to the band.
I will thus build my own image of the band by this work as a standalone and not as the finale of a three-parter.
The EP has three songs, but since they fit so closely together in a auditory perspective i will as well try to describe this as one piece rather than three different songs.
Soundscapes, everytime i mention the word soundscapes on this site, “take a shot of whatever drink you prefer” and so on. But this soundscape is something that more than anything connects two of my favorite genres. Industrial and Post-metal. I will not even try to decipher the lyrics because with all the morphed vocals and effects it is impossible for me to hear the words. Which does not have to be a bad thing, i love Sigur Rós and their entire thing is to sing in a made up “Islandic accent” type of thing anyway.
With these shoegazy offsprings you can get away with a lot vocal-wise. Look at “Amenra” as another example. And the vocalist in Lament Cityscape har by far a better range and tonality, judging just by this EP alone.
The melodical aspects are obviously inspired by such industrial giants such as Godflesh and Author and Punisher. But with more of a “droney” post-rockish vibe at times. The only thing that i can compare it to if the post-rock band “Mono”s guitar players started a post-metal band and Author and Punisher is a background musician in the same vein as “Boris with Merzbow”.
I guess that Lament Cityscape calling themselfs a “collective” is not a bad adjective after all. The influences seems to be from every direction from the shoegazian tree but i do really like it.
Props needed to be given to Mike McClatchey who is the sole member of this band (from what i have understood). Where he plays Lyrics, Vocals, Bass, Guitars, Synth, Programming. Some additional elements are programmed or performed by others. I really like the whole “DIY” type of thinking.
https://lamentcityscape.bandcamp.com/album/the-old-wet