A little lacking in unique identity, Fading Waves compensate with excellent Post-metal compositions and production.
The clue is in the name, and the title come to think of it. There's also another one on their Bandcamp page where it says 'atmospheric post-metal' in the tag line. Despite all this I still wasn't all that prepared for just how 'delicate' some of the music played by Russian entity Fading Waves really is. It doesn't start out that way, but it isn't very long before the realisation dawns; this one is going to be emotional.
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Written between 2008 and 2010, the four tracks on offer here are of the reasonably well trodden Post-metallic pathway, but as certain hidden treasures begin to reveal themselves, a number of pleasant suprises gently encourage the listener to sit up and take more notice. Not least of which is the production and mix, which for a one-man, self-produced project, is about as good as you're likely to hear. Penultimate track 'Distance' fades down expertly into keyboards and electronica, ever reminding us that it doesn't have to be about guitars, bass and drums. At least not all of the time. Perhaps, though, the best is saved for last, and whilst 'Spin' has far less mournful aggression than the opening salvo had, the progressive nature of the track along with certain added extras such as the female vocals not only serve to showcase the songwriting but also provide a perfect finish to a more than decent sounding EP.
Overall there's a fusion of Post-metal and Post-rock structures, which allow the gentleness to interrupt the powerful waves of emotion from time to time, evoking the passion of both Latitudes and Cult of Luna, among quite a few others......and herein lies my issue with 'Catching the Phantoms'. It just doesn't quite have enough of its own identity (Pelican) or peculiarities (Haast's Eagled) to carry itself above the vast expanse of Post-metal on offer these days. This is a real shame, because production-wise it's one of the best-sounding releases I've heard in a while. Which is why, along with the song writing, all this can be somewhat overlooked and it can score as highly as it does. Give it a spin though, because, along with 'The Sense of Space' (the full length album released in 2011), it is well worth a listen.
