Erebe – Drowned (2022)
While nature is beautiful and inspiring, it can also be frightening in its strength and destructive power. Erebe touch on this as they muse about death and human fragility in the face of the power of nature in ‘Drowned’. Lyrically inspired by Jack London’s novel ‘Build a Fire’, the track tells the story of a man dying in the frost.
Using a dynamic melody, they combine the movement of their instrumentation with a more classical approach to song structures. While musing on heavy topics, the single continues the complex soundscapes that the band has become known for. Hugo Lavesque (vocals), Clément Letard (guitars), Augustin Braud (guitars, backing vocals), Maxime Malingre (bass, vocals) and Quentin Lefèvre (drum) draw you into their musical world, while offering the lead-up to their album AEON.
‘Drowned’ grabs your attention with vibrating electronic tones and a deep beat that picks up pace as the opening leads to the first verse. There is a great melodic feeling to the melody that makes you want to move to the rhythm, before a wash of melodic metal tones takes over. There are a lot of changes in the melody that highlights the dynamism of the single. At times, the guitars pulse through the soundscape, only to run and cascade into a melodic metal movement. There is a touch of heaviness to the music, but this has an almost glacial glint of light that softens the movement. Halfway through the single, the music comes to a head with a dark tone rising against the soaring tones of the guitars. You never quite know what is going to happen with the melody, but the awe-inspiring movement is really addictive.
As you are getting lost in the melody, the vocals slide across the instrumentation. While the melody has a dynamic flow, the vocals have a steadier structure that slowly builds to the chorus. The lyrics have a somewhat bleak poetry to them as they draw you into the dying moments of a man freezing to death. There is an interesting reflection on the contrast of our fragility as humans and the might of nature, which we often overlook. As you are drawn into the band’s musings, the vocals sweep through you making you want to call out with them. The chorus has a smooth movement that takes the song to new heights.
Erebe draws you into a contemplation of death and human fragility using a dynamic melody and smooth vocals in ‘Drowned’. The dynamic movement of the music keeps you hooked to the sound as you never know what will happen next. The vocals are smooth as they slide along the dynamic flows and draw you into the reflections of the lyrics.
Find out more about Erebe on their website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
