Wings of the ISANG - The Borderline Between Hope and Despair (2021)

There is something in the Korean/Japanese heavy music that makes it very recognizable. It's no different for Wings of the ISANG, the Seoul-based quartet who create some very atmospheric and pretty heavy post-rock music. For their debut release they were awarded with the Korea Music Awards for Best Modern Rock Album. Their second album is called The Borderline Between Hope and Despair and can be admired since September.

The album makes a "story about the inner side of 'I(Ego)', who cannot belong anywhere" with all of the introvert themes and contemplation moments there should be. This is achieved, however, mostly with loud and heavy guitars sounds that create the thick and dark atmosphere that is only strengthen by the vocals that can be both super ethereal and emotional at the same time (especially the female vocals provided by Aseul). This makes me think of Crippled Black Phoenix or Blanket - a clearly post-rock outfit but with very prog/rock-like vocals. Wings of the ISANG add to this an unbelievable level of emotions (like in Home), from time to time sounding almost like in classic singing.

I love the way this album seems to go on endlessly. The compositions are long and they take their time to develop from subtle guitar tunes into raging post-rock passages. Especially in the longest tracks like the classically heavy metal-like mesmerizing bits of No Longer Human and the super epic finish in Eternity. Coming back to the Far East heavy music's uniqueness - on this album, you can find some of MONO's massiveness and World's End Girlfriend's darkness, but in truth, the band's work feels very unique on its own.

The Borderline Between Hope and Despair costs 12 USD.

Check: One day, the sky that I stood still and looked at while walking on the crosswalk in front of Dunchon-dong Station

Country: South Korea

Genre: vocal dark post-rock

Label: LOCH Arts & Music

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