Sister

In Solitude

As Sweden turns its head towards occult Rock, local bands adapt to a classic retro […]
By Vasilis Odontidis
October 17, 2013
In Solitude - Sister album cover

As Sweden turns its head towards occult Rock, local bands adapt to a classic retro sound. Bands like YEAR OF THE GOAT, GHOST B.C. WITCHCRAFT and GRAVEYARD. IN SOLITUDE lowered down the distortions of their guitars and the speed of the songs as compared to their two previous records and with "Sister" they present an album that is strongly based on the Hard Rock of the 70's and the Metal of early 80's.

The album has nine songs and starts with the acoustic "He Comes". The record then gets heavier and its strongest moment is "Pallid Hands" a song that resembles the style of BLUE ÖYSTER CULT and it is by far the best composition. There is also the song "Lavender" which was the records single and has a bloody addictive chorus. The record gets heavier with the homonymous "Sister" and "Horses In The Ground" and then the SABBATHesque "Inmost Nigredo" and ends with the indifferent "Jesus I Betong", the records weakest moment in my opinion.

The strongest point of "Sister" in my opinion is the atmosphere. From the black and white freaky cover to the mood of the songs there is a feeling of uncertainty, anxiety and agony. While some compositions are weak they manage to create this horrific feeling. As I mentioned before "Pallid Hands" is the gem of the album and if they managed to write another seven songs like that we would talk about a masterpiece. However this is not the case and compared to the bunch of recent similar-style records is one step behind.  The performance of the band is great and the DANZIGlike vocals are benefiting the final result. The production is more than appropriate for this kind of music and really helps in a lot of ways.

To sum up I believe that "Sister" is an ok record with one or two good songs but in the long run it seems like a repetition of ideas served in the best possible way. If you feel nostalgic about the 80s and your childhood or you are into this retro rock revival movement and you have already checked the bands mentioned in the first paragraph then IN SOLITUDE and "Sister" is an album you should have a listen.

6 / 10

Had Potential

"Sister" Track-listing:

1. He Comes
2. Death Knows Where
3. A Buried Sun
4. Pallid Hands
5. Lavender
6. Sister
7. Horses in the Ground
8. Inmost Nigredo

In Solitude Lineup:

Gottfrid Åhman - Bass
Henrik Palm - Guitars
Pelle Åhman - Vocals (lead)
Niklas Lindström - Guitars
Uno Bruniusson - Drums, Percussion

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