GLARE OF THE SUN is an Austrian/German band that formed in the year 2013 and the music that they play is a mix of Doom, Post Rock, Shoe-Gaze and Prog. The band is made up of former members of bands like ZOMBIE INC., COLLAPSE 7, MICROTONNER, GHOULS COME KNOCKING and PROLL GUNS. The name of the band comes from the idea that nothing exists without the sun and everything shines in the light of the sun. The band has released their debut album "Soil" via Lifeforce Records and has been raved about for its originality. The band members all claim to have different influences musically, which is why they have such a unique sound. The band says that the album isn't driven by the lyrics, but in fact, the sound is the factor that dictates the theme of the album. The question that the band asks is that soil is like a line and the choice is of each individual, whether they choose to be above the line, or below it. The band intends to tour heavily in the coming months and is already working on tracks for the follow-up album.

"Awoken" is a short introduction to the album and the song has a haunting melody played on acoustic guitars set to chirping birds in the background. The song is a mellow affair and has a wonderful serene melody to it. "One Step Nothing" is the second song and it is an almost exact opposite of the first. Heavy Doom riffs blare out as gravelly vocals languidly nudge the song along. The latter half of the track is punctuated by unhurried lumbering riffs set to a simple lead guitar melody before the demonic vocals return. "Extinction" starts off sedately enough and it is a haunting track. The use of a cello adds to the eerie atmosphere the band attempts to create. The song is layered and has a melancholic feel to it. This spooky track is entirely instrumental and ends off just as it began, with a weeping cello. "Circle" is the next track and has more of an upbeat melody at the beginning. The lead vocals are reduced to a whisper that accompanies the melody along its path. The vocals slowly turn powerful and, what was once an evil whisper, turns to harsh gruff scream. The song slows down during the mid section before distorted guitars and growls awaken the melody. "Degeneration" is a melodic song that has clean vocals and is quite comfortable in it's the Post Rock realm. However, somewhere during the mid of the song, distorted guitars and the now familiar growls make their brief but unwelcome appearance. The clean singing during the verses versus the growls during the chorus makes this a strangely schizophrenic song and may not work in its favor. The album closes out with a 6-minute track entitled, "Coldfront", an edgy Doom song. Familiar guttural vocals are seen in all its glory and the song also features the tortured whispers that we heard elsewhere in the album. It leads an aura of dread to the melody and is a fitting gloomy end to a brilliant album.

This is an interesting album to say the least and the tracks are varied in nature. The Doom nature of the tracks and the growling vocals appealed to me. However I don't know if having clean vocals in the album makes for good compatibility with the underlying theme of the album. The tracks are more on the gloomy side of things and clean vocals feels a little fluffy given the scheme of things. The tracks are well thought out and although not terribly memorable, the album makes for some good listening. Considering that this is the band's first effort, it is undeniable commendable.<