Sarin - You Can’t Go Back

Angry Metal Guy 60

For post-metal fans, the big release this week is the Cult of Luna EP. But other bands are working hard in this genre as well, one of which is Canada’s Sarin. Their third album You Can’t Go Back drops this week, and while they don’t have the marquee name to go with the release, that doesn’t mean they should be thrust to the side as we all rush headlong into The Raging River. Sarin ply the same waters as Isis used to, and Cult of Luna and Neurosis still do, but here on You Can’t Go Back the focus is on arrangements which are relatively succinct for the genre. The album was written after a failed relationship, and documents the effort to change oneself. It is both depressing and uplifting.

In addition to the relative brevity of the songs, Sarin also go with the less-is-more mentality by paring down the lyrics. Vocals are often eschewed, as the band lets their instruments do the talking. Of the six songs, only three really have what might be considered a focus on vocals. “When You Melt,” the only “long” song at eight minutes, features only a small amount of vocals at the beginning, as well as the bellowed title closing the song out. In between the band hits us with plenty of feedback accompanied by rolling toms and bass. The punishment abates in the middle as a delicate and calm moment gives us respite before the band crashes back in with a fury that culminates in blastbeats and the shouted chorus. It is perhaps the song that most aligns with what heavy hitters in the genre do.

Sarin are at their best when vocals are completely abandoned and the band just goes hard instrumentally. “Thick Mire,” embedded below, is fantastic. It opens with a disconcerting bass line and plenty of echoing guitar effects. A minute in we are greeted with a thunderous marching beat that obliterates the rest of the album. After the song transforms into an almost introspective piece the band launch back into a killer riff to close it out. “Otherness,” the other pure instrumental, quietens down the album with ethereal guitar atop some slinky drum/bass interplay. The gain eventually increases on the amps, but at three minutes the song seems unfinished.

Songs like “Reckoner,” with plenty of experimental noise and feedback, give one the distinct impression that Sarin would lay waste in a live setting. Perhaps it’s the shorter song length, or the air of spontaneity that permeates the music, but most of the six songs here feel like they are ripe for extended jams on stage. You Can’t Go Back was recorded in the span of a week, and is a testament to the band’s chemistry as well as the raw, almost spontaneous feel of these compositions. While bands like Cult of Luna might push the limits of listeners’ patience with the deliberate arrangements, Sarin get to the point quickly and effectively. However, while there are no glaring weaknesses on the album, neither do Sarin succeed in standing out from the post-metal crowd, outside of the moments mentioned above. You Can’t Go Back is a satisfying release for post-metal fans, but likely won’t persuade others to jump on board.

There are some great moments on You Can’t Go Back, and the ebb and flow of the aftermath of a failed relationship resonates throughout the album. Sarin have done a fine job of conveying all the peaks and valleys associated with instigating change in oneself. Maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t seen a band play live in forever, but my overwhelming feeling listening to this album is that these guys would destroy an audience in a live setting. I sure hope we get the chance to see if that’s true. Meanwhile, go give this album a listen and see for yourselves.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3¹
Label: Prosthetic Records
Websites: sarin.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/sarinofficial
Releases Worldwide: February 5th, 2021

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