Wells Valley
Matter As Regent
(Bleak Recordings)
There’s much to be said about post metal, some absolutely love the explicit contrast, then there are some who just can’t grasp the appeal to it and get lost in its experimental methods. Few bands have been able to take hold of audiences and gain significant followers, while repping the post-experimental metal flag. Only a select few like Opeth and Gojira have mastered the experimental sound and conquered the mainstream markets, still, many are trying their hand at this underground type of metal. Portuguese post-metal act, Wells Valley is just one attempting to leave their impact on this scene, forming in 2011 and emerging into the scene with their debut album Matter As Regent.
This six track album is all about dark vocals and resonating guitar tones, although there’s not much to go by with only a mere six tracks. Aside form the eerie type vocals expressed in many of the verses, the vocal choruses are a blend of a punk- infused type Chimaira meets Adema’s Tim Fluckey. “Ghost of You,” the opener to the remaining five tracks, is the strongest off the album. It does the best job of representing their experimental sound in a cohesive manner, appealing to metal fans both in and outside of the post-metal genre. The remaining tracks lack diversity in comparison and do little justice for the post- experimental name.
Until a next album, potentially revealing more of Wells Valley’s abilities to diversity their material, they may remain one of the many acts in the underground metal scene. (Macie Bennett)
Purchase Matter As Regent here.
