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A DAVID KIDMAN REVIEW FOR ACOUSTIC ROTHERHAM

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STORMCROW

BEHIND THE MASK

Stormcrow – BEHIND THE MASK (Own Label)

Stormcrow is a four-piece outfit based in the north-east (not to be confused with an American rock band of the same name), who’ve gone through various incarnations since arising out of the ashes of local 80s bands English Smog and Malachi but have (it appears) now settled into the lineup of Mark and Amanda Hadlett, Sarah Mason and Sam Coles. (The only time I’d come across Stormcrow name before was when a track of theirs, Gargoyle, appeared on the tremendous John Barleycorn Reborn compilation that came out a couple of years ago.)

I guess Stormcrow might be classed a folk-rock band, but their instrumental complement is decidedly basic (Mark plays the various guitars and some bass, with Amanda on percussion – and that’s all, folks).

The trademark Stormcrow sound is more like a strident brand of acoustica which happens to have rock overtones (notably the presence of a heavy but cool electric guitar line on several tracks and that prominent, if sometimes eccentric, percussion role, also in the chord structures and occasional subtle electronic treatments or effects), and yet their milieu of operations is determinedly “dark-folk”.

Stormcrow remind me quite a bit of those idiosyncratic early 70s wyrd-prog-folk acts like Jan Dukes De Grey and Forest, even (dare I say) Tyrannosaurus Rex circa Beard Of Stars or Unicorn, but although some of their songs still concern themselves with natural occurrences, seasons and ritual, the main difference is that Stormcrow’s lyrics are often more directly concerned with expressing the everyday inner fears of humanity than the specific retelling of esoteric mythology or legend – their trick is to couch these introspective observations and home truths in powerful imagery that mirrors the symbolism of magic and the wyrd-folk ethic.

Mark writes all the band’s songs, and on Behind The Mask he sings the vast majority of them, in a forthright, once-heard-never forgotten declamatory fashion that really compels attention.

Sarah and Sam mostly take on the often ethereal backing-vocal duties, and both are worthy of greater exposure – although I realise that their contributions are carefully chosen where the songs concerned would suit the special qualities of their individual voices (as when Sam takes the lead on Winter and Immortality).

There’s not a weak song amongst the 14 on offer, although I particularly rated the evocations of Sunset and Winter, also Goddess Of The Fireplace, Immortality, Pain, Profits Of Doom and the galloping rhythms of the cryptic Jacob’s Song.

Considering the band’s comparatively restricted instrumental palette, the CD presents a full, busy sound and bold, up front character to the listener; this is primarily achieved by a creative (and I think necessary) use of multi-tracking, although the band bring in a couple of extra personnel for cittern or lead guitar duties here and there.

It all comes together pretty well, although there were isolated moments when I detected a little clumsiness in synchronising (or offsetting) the various bustling rhythms, but I suspect this is more a by-product of a surfeit of energy and enthusiasm than any deficiency in the playing or execution.

What matters is the forceful presence – and strong identity – that Stormcrow possess: one that this disc certainly conveys. And in case you’re curious to hear how Stormcrow come across live, you can get a measure of the vitality of their stage presence with the CD’s bonus track, a live recording of Monstrosity.

www.myspace.com/stormcrowuk and www.stormcrow-online.co.uk

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