I reviewed the duo’s, comprising of Brett Minnie (Guitars and Vocals) and Pauline Silver (Drums and Percussion), debut last year and this follow up EP is their “live in the studio” set for the online event: “Metal4Africa Summerfest ’21”. And with that in mind it explains the very stripped-down sound and raw vocals which would not sound amiss on a stage under the South African night skies.
They open the EP with “Prelude” which consists of minimalist guitars, the odd booming drum beat and forlorn vocals that have an anguished edge to their gentle delivery.
Next up is the extremely slow but relatively heavy “Babylon”, where a simple tempo is kept by Pauline while Brett lets the guitar riffs ring out as he almost shouts out the vocals.
“Fear” is even slower, if that seems possible, with crashing cymbals punctuating the repeating plucked guitar riff as it goes from clean to distorted taking the vocals from whispered verses to yells of “fear”.
Single notes are dragged out of the guitars while rattles and shakers that would make Ennio Morricone proud are used for the nearly 2-minute intro to “The Desert Song”, before the guitars become a touch heavier by adding distortion and Brett’s hoarse cries and whispers are accompanied by slow drumming on a kit. Definitely more about mood and feel than being in your face.
They end the EP with the Sol Invictus cover “Kneel to the Cross” which is pretty much a cappella at first, with the rattling of bells for tempo (a tambourine perhaps?), until an acoustic guitar joins to make the song sound like a folk number sung beside a campfire in the middle of the Kalahari desert.
(7/10 Marco Gaminara)
https://www.facebook.com/themedeaprojectband
https://themedeaproject.bandcamp.com/album/southern-echoes
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