Coma Rossi - Void

(CD 2024, 50:05, Private Release)

The tracks:
  1- Wither(1:11)
  2- Waves Of Time(5:44)
  3- Burning(4:34)
  4- Falling Apart(4:17)
  5- This Red Sky(8:54)
  6- Oblivion(5:51)
  7- Small Ideas(7:10)
  8- Farm Of Lights(5:40)
  9- In Circles(6:58)

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Coma Rossi is a progressive post-rock band originally from Bangalore, and were formed in 2014. Creating atmospheric and moody textures blending in with distorted sounds and hard-hitting grooves spreading across emotive lyrics according to their words. Their eponymous debut album was released in 2018 (see review). Now six years later a follow up album can be welcomed. Titled Void.

Six years seems a lot in the development of a band. Because things have changed a lot for the band since the release of their debut album. They have reduced to a duo and moved to Düsseldorf in Germany. Their debut was recorded with several band members, but since the pandemic a major change has followed. Composer, guitarist, singer and band leader Gaurav Govilkar moved from Asia to Europe to start a new life. A musical life with more possibilities to have a breakthrough music wise. Nowadays the band only contains of Govilkar and drummer Diane Galen, who is based in the United Kingdom. Gaurav seems to be a real multi-instrumentalist (playing guitars, bass and keyboards) and doesn't really need the help of other musicians except for someone who can play the drums.

The second album Void meanders through the ebb and flow of egress and ingress. It takes one through the debilitating pain of detaching the self to caress the thick needles of loss. It saddles one with the discomforting grief that hits in waves. It catapults one into a gorge of charred distressing memories. Although not a concept album, it has a thread running through about leaving places that one has immersed themselves in, about people leaving due to a separation or death; about grief hitting in waves and dealing with that burst of heaviness, but still holding onto hope and always looking forward. But what does that mean music wise? Well let me explain it!

The musical style has certainly changed and has scaled up further towards a style which can be labelled as heavy post-metal. Most of all the first two tracks Wither and Waves Of Time sound rather heavy compared to music which you can find on the band's debut. Also This Red Sky is a song which sounds rather chaotic with many heavy guitar parts. Sometimes the post rock sound, which you can find more on tracks such as Burning and Falling Apart, comes to the surface. But it is mainly heavy guitar riffs which are coming out of the speakers. Also Oblivion and Small Ideas are songs which have a mix of heavy and more mellow parts. You really have to like this aggressive musical style to understand what the musician is trying to say with this kind of music.

Govilkar does the vocals throughout the entire album except for Farm Of Lights Gaurav asked Thomas Huy to do the lead vocals. This certainly lifts the song to a higher level and is therefore for me one of the musical highlights on this release. The more laidback post rock musical direction of this tune makes it more suitable for lovers of progressive rock. The song is mainly dominated by the atmospheric keyboard parts and the voice of Huy.

The music of a band is always difficult to compare with other bands. Coma Rossi makes no exception. Some people might say it sounds like Sigur Ros, Alcest or Bruit. Others will come up with God Is An Astronaut or Anathema. Or even others will mention Soundgarden or The Smashing Pumpkins. I guess it does not really matter. All I can say that Void is an album that blends elements of different musical styles. It's a mix of post rock, prog, metal, shoegaze and ambient dream pop. And if you like those musical styles it is advised to check out this album. An album which gives a different look at a band that matured along the way!

*** Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen)

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