The ongoing deluge of black metal bands with a penchant for dark ambience and shimmering shoegaze shows no signs of abating, even though saturation point must surely be approaching.
If Spire can shrug off that transient association then they stand a good chance of being recognised as a band with more than enough character to outrun the ethereal bandwagon. Entropy is a debut album that makes no bones about its desire to drag you into the Australian band’s claustrophobic melee.
Slow, melancholy passages abound, albeit interspersed with frenzied, high-velocity barrages of aggression and dense clouds of woozy atmospherics that provide compelling stepping stones between each skewed, metallic rampage. As with many likeminded bands, Spire bravely walk the fine line between immersive wall of sound and impenetrable squall. For the most part, the end result is hugely absorbing, most notably during the epic, glacial flow of Void and the monolithic astral voyage of the closing title track. Distinctive voices are always welcome and this one comes through loud and clear.
