Late to the Party: Meridian Sun's "The Curse" Celebrates First Release Date Anniversary
Meridian Sun is a progressive doom band from London. Three of the band's members were actually old university friends and, after adding bassist/vocalist Chris to the fold, they officially became Meridian Sun in 2018. Taking a riffs-first approach to metal, the band combines dark and hulking doom with progressive rock and traditional heavy metal, resulting in a mind-blowingly sophisticated, layered, and passionate sound.
Each of Meridian Sun's members brings a unique set of musical influences to the table. Says the band:
"Martin (guitars, vocals) used to play in a prog math rock band and has a background in jazz, but also didn't stop listening to Meshuggah exclusively for three months straight. Chris (bass, vocals) once had a rule that he would not listen to anything recorded after 1974. Rich (guitars, vocals) is a big fan of stoner and progressive metal, especially Tool. Chaz (drums) has played drums in hardcore and emo bands, sings classical music, and listens to a wide range of genres."
Meridian Sun released their debut album The Curse in November 2023. This album consists of three songs, but in true progressive doom fashion, these are not short-form tracks by far. In fact, the title track itself is twenty-one minutes long and, according to the band, took "a couple of years" to finish. The Curse was met with heavy praise from critics and fans alike, including the Doom Charts, who called it "...one of the great debuts of 2023."
An awesome live performance of "The Curse" at The Facemelter, London (2018)
I had never heard of Meridian Sun until I was recently contacted by the band's label, Drowning Sea God Records, to write a review for The Curse's first release date anniversary. Upon hearing these highly developed yet deliciously heavy tones, I jumped at the chance.
The Curse
1.) The Curse
It probably goes without saying that The Curse is composed of a multitude of layers: progressive rock and doom intertwined with psychedelic rock and epic traditional heavy metal. I was absolutely blown away by the melodic quality and sheer power of the vocals from the moment they began, a fitting style for such commanding instrumentals. There are many chapters in this story, alternating between the weightiness of metal and the more luminous tonality brought on by psychedelic and heavy rock elements. The result is a herculean sonic battle between darkness and light that keeps the momentum going until the final note.
2.) Lob
Lob is a lot lighter than The Curse in its first half, filled with kaleidoscopic guitar and passionate vocals that will certainly get you right in the heart at some point. Just before the halfway mark, the instrumentals quite suddenly launch into a Rush-esque jam, and it's to die for. Then, just as suddenly, the solidity of heavy progressive metal kicks in with brute force, like a sudden torrential storm. The vocals become even more emotive, at times palpably tormented. In the last third of Lob, the lighter and heavier sides to the song begin to work together in a harmonized way, reminiscent of its bright beginning. However, the graveness of the metal element lingers, a constant reminder of the harrowing tempest experienced earlier on. At the risk of sounding a bit silly, Lob reminds me of how things that previously had a positive connotation never look or feel the same once you can associate them with a traumatic experience. These things may physically be the same and you may have made it through the storm in one piece, but it will never truly feel right again, there will always be that twinge of pain.
3.) Wicked Old Water
Wicked Old Water, much like Lob, has segments that are much lighter and atmospheric, relying more on psychedelic rock influences and delicate but complex guitar work to create a brightened feeling. The vocals continue to be ultra emotive here, a combination of melodic and frantic that seems to come from an emo influence. I almost hesitate to make that statement because that genre frequently gets a bad rap, but Meridian Sun uses it wisely here; it comes off as appropriately emotive, never "whiny" or excessive in any way. Throughout Wicked Old Water, the airier psychedelic textures alternative with climbing progressive rock components and doomy, sludgy trudges. Of course, these are three very different styles of music, but as they do with each song on the album, Meridian Sun makes the transitions smoothly and naturally. It all fits together seamlessly to create very specific moods and scenes.
Final Thoughts
First of all...wow. What a breath of fresh air to see such instrumental proficiency that's often quite technical and complex... I have a massive amount of respect for this talented group of musicians.
Similarly, the range, endurance, and adaptability of the vocals is incredible. I love the use of multiple vocalists to add a huge amount of dimension to music that's already so multi-faceted. This reminds me a bit of the band Horseburner , who of course performs in more of a progressive sludge style, but utilizes a similar vocal framework.
As mentioned earlier, the coming together of the weighty and atmospheric, the darkness and the light, is beautifully composed. This isn't a new thing in music; in fact, it's something I mention very often in my reviews. However, Meridian Sun is unique in that the heavier parts are infinitely heavier, and the lighter parts are much more intricate than I typically hear. This is all layered within these longer-form songs that take countless twists and turns. To have the ability to get all of these contrasting components to work together and flow as they do, particularly in such a long song, absolutely boggles my mind. I guess it boils down to qualities that Meridian Sun surely possesses: talent, patience, creativity, teamwork, and above all, a dedication to their craft. The result is this beautiful, emotive, epic, dark but hopeful adventure that, at its end, will leave you inevitably gobsmacked with a renewed appreciation for heavy music.
And you will press play on that twenty-one minute track again, I promise you.
What's Next for Meridian Sun?
So what's next? In April 2024, Meridian Sun said they had some new material and ideas floating around, although it's been difficult to complete due to the members living further apart around the UK. However, the overwhelmingly positive reaction to The Curse has inspired the band to continue on and eventually put the finishing touches on some new songs.
More About Meridian Sun
Meridian Sun is:
Chris Mills - bass, vocals
Rich McEvoy - guitars, vocals
Martin Maddocks - guitars, vocals
Chaz Tomlinson - drums
You can follow Meridian Sun and listen to their music at the following links:
A massive thank you to Drowning Sea God Records for the promo!
Reference: "Meridian Sun reveal how debut stunner The Curse came together" (Drowning Sea God Records)
If you like Meridian Sun, you might also enjoy Horseburner!
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