Everything feels the same – it blurs and bleeds into itself. Comfort almost feels oppressive; wanting to slip out of your skin and seek something new, something that resonates with the surrealism of it all. Perhaps it’s only appropriate that the only way to shake that feeling is to completely obliterate it via sheer sonic force. To this end, Zatokrev’s newest record, Bring Mirrors to the Surface (Bring Mirrors…) succeeds in this regard by not only keeping things heavy, but by also allowing you to sink in the weight of its force. Let’s discuss.

Bring Mirrors… begins with the slow, sludgy “Red Storm,” a track that hits with the shock of a cataclysm that exudes dissonance and despair. Like Norna before them, “Red Storm” acts as the barrier to entry to the rest of the album, asking the listener if they truly want to commit to something that will continuously shift and transform before their very eyes (or ears, in this case). The music’s off-putting nature, combined with the intense guitar and vocals, gives the track a sense of warning and urgency as if indicating that once you are moving to the next track, you have reached the point of no return. However, your expectations are quickly shattered when “Blood” starts, a track that, in comparison to its predecessor, is much more rooted in traditional post-metal albeit with a more melodic overtone. Gone is that sense of warning that “Red Storm” gave off. Now, it’s replaced with softer vocals and a more dynamic atmosphere that immediately feels like a reward for surviving the previous cataclysm. However, this juxtaposition only creates a sense of unease, as you are waiting for something to happen. After all, Zatokrev managed to not only create a barrier to Bring Mirrors…, but also immediately rewarded the listener’s patience with a track that is mellower and more introspective than the outright hostility in “Red Storm.”

Duality seems to be at the heart of Bring Mirrors…, interplaying across and in between each track. This works with the album’s themes, as it shows how each element – the vocals, the oppressive atmosphere, the slowness of its tempo – matches against something that could be found anywhere on the album, such as the brightness in sound or the crackling of instruments when Zatokrev picks up the pace. It also seems like a nod – or at least, a continuation of – to Glassing’s From the Other Side of the Mirror (Other Side), another album that played with duality and contrast. However, unlike Other Side, Bring Mirrors… sinks deeper into that contrast, playing more with distortion rather than with dissonance. For example, “Changes” shakes with the overwhelming rage of layered instruments, of what sounds like metal scraping across concrete. The song’s weight sonic weight creates a feedback loop that only builds in intensity, and it doesn’t taper off, bleeding into the almost-bright “Pearl Eyes.” However, “Pearl Eyes” takes that weight and spreads throughout its runtime, before fully closing the loop.

Bring Mirrors to the Surface is not an easy listen, despite the moments of “levity” and melodic bridges. The music is incredibly textured and oppressive. However, should you get past that track, Bring Mirrors to the Surface rewards your patience. It took me a while to fully enjoy it, but once it clicked, I was fully invested. This may be my first foray into this band, but I am inclined to give Bring Mirrors to the Surface more thorough listens as we approach the end of the year. May the cataclysm of post-metal continue to bless us with vitriol and melody.

— Hera

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Bring Mirrors to the Surface will be available August 29 on Pelagic Records. For more information on Zatokrev, visit their official Facebook and Instagram pages.