Trna - Istok (2021)

The self-acclaimed "hurricane full of emotions" from Saint Petersburg, Trna are post-rock band that is ready to crush the audience with their beautiful and heavy sound. This year's Istok is their fourth album and one to establish their presence in the post-rock genre.

The Russians' post-rock feels extremely massive, atmospheric and heavy. Their sound reminds me of the new God Is an Astronaut and Coastlands' releases with a hint of TESA's rapidness. The band have now decided to go even more into the post-rock realm with less of the blackgaze, post-metal traces they tended to use on previous releases (and in the music of Olhava, the side project of half of the band). Sure, there is some of the blackgaze's synth-like smoothness and metal's crazy, unstoppable drums and the vocals introduced in the album's third track Shining. Still, the overall feeling of the compositions situates it closer to the post-rock icons than anything else (especially that said Shining comes also vocal-less as a bonus track at the end of the album).

There's tons of ultra-heavy sounds in almost every second of the album. The opening in Istok, sets the pace very early and the band don't slow down until the very end. Songs such as Echoes of the Past, Burning Bridges, Shattered Dreams or Hearts Turn to Stone fit neatly within the darkest and heaviest post-rock branch, while, quite surprisingly, the whole thing doesn't end with a blast but with a rather moody and melancholic finish in Rebirth. Top class release.

Istok costs 9.99 USD.

Check: Istok

Country: Russia

Genre: heavy post-rock

Label: A Candlelight Records

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