Keeping with the equestrian theme, Simms moved on to a solo project called Black Mare after the release of Wyllt, as well as played in the dark rock band Ides of Gemini. Black Mare's first full length, Field of the Host, saw the light of day last month, and while the memory of Black Math Horseman is alive and well, Field of the Host sees Timms sticking with the most memorable and well-done aspects of Wyllt and fine-tuning them with a trained eye.
As with Timms' other projects, Field of the Host is a poignantly atmospheric venture. Everything about the music of Black Mare is about projecting itself over a profound distance - from the downplayed drumwork on 'Tearer', to the persistent echo Simms imbues her own haunting voice with. The vocals, in particular, contribute the most to the misty landscapes the album is determined to purvey - though Simms' lyrics are beautifully written and convey the esoteric feel most of her work is known for, the reverb renders most of the lyrics unintelligible. While this sounds like a drawback, it's actually key to the vision of the album, and sounds like it could be a distant gust of wind, or a forgotten voice from deep within the wilderness. The same artistic choice worked to Deafheaven's benefit on Sunbather, or Ash Borer's Cold of Ages, in that it forces the listener into the environment of the music, never wrenching them out with a familiar word.
The instrumentals on Field of the Host work in exact tandem with Timms' vocals, alternating between eerie (the intro on 'Saturn's Grave') and mysterious ('Cybelle'). The guitar work is, similar to the vocals, absolutely dripping with echo and you can tell the chorus pedal is cranked up to 11. Technically, they drone endlessly through surprisingly-heavy ethereal clouds, while the bass and drums are used minimally and lightly, being extremely far back in the mix and supplying the smallest amount of rhythm that gives Black Mare's songs a sense of inertia as they plod their way through.
This is an important ability to have when writing minimalist music - while the instrumentation is highly repetitive, and at times even ambient, Black Mare never veers into straight-on inaction a la Sunn O))). Instead, Timms' elegantly looped riffs and tastefully light percussion give the record a sense of direction and purpose as the album continues. Simultaneously, however, Field of the Host flows together exceptionally well, and it's only on second and third listens that you realize how unique and standout each track on this album really is. This is what gives the record its biggest staying power, and the reason I've been listening to it a lot over the past few days - plenty of albums are pretty much only listenable in their entirety, whether it's about flow or continuity, while others, if listened to all at once, are a great way to ruin the record. Field of the Host is excellent when viewed as a unit, or from a song-to-song perspective.
Field of the Host is music to listen to as the sun comes out after a thunderstorm, or as the snow piles up outside your window. It draws comparison not just to Timms' previous work, but to a whole plethora of other artists from Chelsea Wolfe and Have a Nice Life, to maybe even a little bit of Alcest-ian nostalgia in the empassioned cries of 'Fighting Birds'. For those who enjoy post-rock, dark folk, or just want to space out and want some music to listen to while the sun sets, this record is sure to please.
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