When listening to anything that’s instrumental, I want to hear something that’s really going to illustrate a world around me that words cannot bring forth and given that by nature there are no words to be had. It’s all but key to bring forth imagery that’s no less than staggering in order to make an instrumental record stand out instead of just becoming white noise in the background that could put people to sleep. Drawing in elements from doom but more heavily from post-metal, it’s with their debut that Mairu provides a speechless listen that’s simply gripping.

It would seem that when an instrumental band comes around they constantly seem to replace the vocal department with something that can speak volumes all its own: heaviness. Not a very new thing for metal by any stretch of the imagination, but when it’s done right it can make a band stand out especially if it’s mixed with grand atmospheres that bring the work together splendidly. What would you know it that’s precisely what Mairu accomplished with “The Sacred Dissonance”! Right off the bat with that mysterious cover art, Mairu knows how to throw you right into their bog of mist and terror where everything lurks in the shadows but there’s still plenty of beauty to be shown. Each track progresses fantastically as Mairu expertly guides us through their muggy world that’s filled with tons of riffs and loads of tasteful heaviness that can easily be turned around as they demonstrate clear dominance over their craft at each turn. From fantastic atmospheres that seem all but engrossing to long stretches of enthralling doom, it really feels as though Mairu already has a grip on the exact sound they want to bring as a band with “The Sacred Dissonance” that being a timid first step that shows fair mistakes in the final result, but, instead, a confident stride forward showing displays power and understanding that can only be seen with reverence.

There are many post-metal acts out there that are dying to be heard, and I’ll be damned before I let Mairu become one of them as it’s clear with this debut alone that Mairu has talent to create something very interesting with plenty of power to match. If “The Sacred Dissonance” is just the beginning of things, which I really hope is the case, then shit is only to get much better as Mairu hone their already deadly craft.

LISTEN to “The Sacred Dissonance” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Mairu on Facebook here.

FOLLOW Mairu on Twitter: @MairuMetal