CHURCH OF THE SEA return with new work following their independent 2022 debut “Odalisque”. Now, “Eva” has arrived, and I will attempt to present it the way it truly deserves – with depth and elevation, avoiding the modesty that turns into false humility, yet doing so in a way that provokes without trying.
Just as the album itself does.
The band was formed in 2017 and they introduce themselves by saying, “we create a unique sound that balances between doom and dark electronic rock”.
An accurate description, indeed.
CHURCH OF THE SEA embrace fuzzed-out tones, heavily distorted beats, and ethereal, chant-like vocals. The result is a one-of-a-kind atmosphere where the weighty intensity of doom meets the dreamy state of shoegaze and the raw energy of noise rock.
Their sound draws influences from female-fronted bands and projects such as CHELSEA WOLFE, DARKHER, ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF, and KING WOMAN, with Irene‘s vocals giving the band its distinctive character. Alongside her, Vangelis on guitar and Alex on synths/samples, form this remarkable fusion, which some might creatively refer to as doomwave!
Listen to “Eva” and you will understand that the trio offers an emotional experience that transcends the here and now of the sound, addressing primarily the consequences it brings – it is the post-apocalyptic aftermath of their elegiac, almost mystical music.
The album is a potent blend of folk, shoegaze, post-rock, darkwave, all thrown into the magical cauldron of a unique doom identity that sacrifices maximalism but does not diminish the pompous style, which is rooted more in an primal power than in technicalities.
CHURCH OF THE SEA unfold a ritual that is dark but deeply emotional, each track like a different spell. Their music is like a slow, heavy wave that engulfs the listener, their aesthetic minimal but cleverly empowered, skillfully balancing between rawness and introspection.
The album opens with “How to Build a Universe, Pt I”, a bone-chilling intro with Greek lyrics, followed by “The Siren’s Choice” is a menacing, dark song. The eponymous track “Eva” is inspired by traditional Greek sounds, while “Garden of Eden” and “Churchyard”, with their dynamic and rhythmic outbursts built up strength and volume, in contrast to the heartbreakingly ethereal “Widow”.
With their second album, CHURCH OF THE SEA attempt to reconstruct mythological sanctity, bringing it closer to the human, to mortality, even to sin – a beacon of light truly tested where it’s expected, within the darkness itself. Their approach carries a theatricality, like an ancient tragedy transformed into electronic pulses and guitar explosions. The atmosphere is both terrifying and cathartic – those who dare stay in the darkness a bit longer will eventually discern the faint light burning within it.
The band’s cohesion is exemplary, and the production is outstanding. I also emphasize that the incorporation of Greek lyrics is genuinely inspired – the closing track, “How to Build a Universe, Pt II”, an epic-sized dirge, is simply overwhelming, and without the use of their native language, I’m sure it wouldn’t have the same power.
“Eva” will be released on April 11th by These Hands Melt, on both LP and CD.
Check the discussion about the album in our forum pages.
You can pre-order both the LP and CD here.
