Paris-based, Soror Dolorosa don’t just play music, they turn nostalgia into sound waves and create a perfect atmosphere to relive all kind of memories: those we carry with us, those we lost, and those that are yet to come. Listening to Soror Dolorosa is like entering a different dimension where the time ceases to exist and is always night: this is a band to get lost in the night.
With the opening title, “Apollo”, we will start our wanderings with an energetic vibe, just like a promising endless night should start. Nonetheless, “Locksley Hall” will change the mood and take us to darker places and deeper memories. The same vibe can be found in “Night is our hollow”, a track highlighted by outstanding poignant guitars that will bring to this work the intensity of post-rock and shoegaze. Although in “Apollo” we can still find the potent bass and persistent repetitive percussion so characteristic of this band (and genres like post punk and darkwave), the layers of their sonority are gradually getting more harmonious. Even so, Andy’s distant voice echoing amidst those layers is a constant.
“Breezed and Blue” gives us a small glimpse of Soror Dolorosa previous releases (like “Blind Scenes” and “No more Heroes”). In comparison to their previous works, this record might be the less consistent, however it also is the most innovative and daring of their journey. Here the group present us with some elements not only from those good old electronic/electrogoth and gothic rock acts like Sisters of Mercy or Peter Murphy (noticeable on the track “Everyway”, for instance), among others, but also from way more retro roots/origins. It’s impossible not to notice the cyber punk, vaporwave and synthwave innuendos (mainly present in the track “Yata”) that will also remind us of Michael Stein & Kylie Dixon’s work with Stranger Things 2 OST.
This work clearly shows a band that keeps experimenting new elements while building and consolidating a very personal identity. Any band should regard its own path as a work in progress and be open and brave enough to explore and incorporate new features into their compositions. This is what’s happening right now with Soror Dolorosa.
8/10
About Soror Dolorosa:
Review by: Carolina Ventura
Managing Editor: Rita Limede
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