Despite my intense fascination with both post-metal and sludge, I still haven’t been able to scratch the surface of what those genres have to offer. In my journey through those, I have looked to Pelagic Records, a label whose wide and highly eclectic catalogue has been a constant source of delight and exploration, to deliver the goods. Thus, at the crossroads where both interests lie is SÂVER’s second full-length, From Ember and Rust, an album that blew me away from beginning to end.

One of the first things noticed when listening to From Ember and Rust is the level of intensity SÂVER has embedded into their music. Opener “Formless” is the epitome of its name: the music sounds like it came from the void, kicking straight through the doors with an intense rhythm. This intensity persists, even when things begin to slow down into a melodic interlude halfway through the song, even when the music only cuts down to a rhythmic guitar beat that makes you want to move around. SÂVER clearly knows how to make their music tick with an impressive vitality that screams at you to get up, to never stop moving. Then, fourth track “Ember & Rust” changes your perception completely. This is the first time the band uses clean vocals, a bit of a palate cleanser that dials back the intensity of what their music has been so far. Of course, that’s only a glimpse of their softer side, as it quickly goes back to the harsh vocals, the dissonant guitars, and the drumming that comes close to blast beats. Something is coming from the gaping maw of SÂVER’s void, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it from absorbing you.

From that point onward, the music becomes more melodic, fusing their sludgy post-metal with a touch of prog. While the intensity still tends to color the music, the latter half of From Ember and Rust borders more on the experimental and uses the heavier aspects of post-metal to create weight. Here is where the sludge truly shines, heightening the music’s atmosphere while picking up melody as it trudges onwards to its inevitable conclusion. It heavily reminded me of Erebe’s usage of weight in their music and how they asked the listener to suspend their disbelief. However, SÂVER’s heaviness emphasizes the quieter moments of the album, such as the clean vocals and the slow, rhythmic guitar section on “The Object.” Those moments also emphasize the music’s highly progressive nature, especially when the guitar begins to sweep towards the end of the track. What you end up getting is a look at SÂVER’s various influences and sonic cues, taken from more mainstream/well-known bands and musicians, and incorporates them seamlessly into deeply moving music that is abound with color underneath the sludge.

A quick note: SÂVER also has this sensual quality to their music, slowly beckoning the listener to come closer to the void. This culminates on final track “All In Disarray,” where their sensuality is heightened by what sounds like reverb, creating a sense of intimacy that reminded me of Playgrounded. Underneath the intensity, there’s a heart that calls, and it wants to go back to the warmth of the void, forever trapped in an echo chamber.

From the sounds of it, SÂVER is not experiencing sophomore slump. From Ember and Rust is a masterclass of combining musical intensity and inherent heaviness that moves along until the call of the void comes along. If you thought that post-metal was all about the atmosphere and how a band can extend the sound, then From Ember and Rust is an album that will break all conventions. There is no better time to get into what SÂVER has to offer.

— Hera

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From Ember and Rust will be available November 10 on Pelagic Records. For more information on SÂVER, visit their Facebook and Instagram pages.