Transcending Records are releasing another debut EP from a new band this month, this one titled Adrift in Remorse from Virginia dark metal/doom act Affasia. Filled with plenty of atmospherics and melancholy, easy comparisons to Katatonia, early Anathema, My Dying Bride, Swallow the Sun, and Paradise Lost will come up, the band fluctuating between dark goth on "Dissolute" and the doom laden dark metal of "Another Host", the latter a potent track with battling clean vocals and death metal growls. A fair amount of keyboards creep into the arrangements, which add a melodic flair, and while the guitar riffs aren't as massive as one would expect, they do hit hard on "Brittle Sentiment", playing well off the melodic vocals of Noah Cabitto. The closing track "As You Never Were" features some rich backing vocals to go along with Cabitto's mix of clean & growling vocals, the riffs driving and the near prog rock styled keys adding a nice backdrop to the proceedings.
Overall, Adrift in Remorse is a pleasing listen, the band obviously have a lot going for them, but I'm left wishing the band would have gone a little further. Most of the four tracks have a similar feel to them, and at times seem stuck in second gear, however, there's more than enough to recommend here, and I look forward to seeing where Affasia go next.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Another Host
2) Dissolute
3) Brittle Sentiment
4) As You Never Were