Let’s cut to the chase; this debut EP from Copse is pretty astonishing. It’s not often that a band nails it on the first attempt, but this Bristol-based post-black metal outfit have come straight out the gate sounding fully-formed on their debut EP ‘Mara|Mondrem’.
These two sprawling tracks are more in the vein of someone like MØL than their low-fi cousins Alcest or early Deafheaven; the substantial production job really allows for the exuberant Astronoid-esque lead guitar lines to cut through the ethereal atmosphere and shine above the thunderous rhythm section, particularly in the uplifting mid-section of opener ‘Mara’. Second track ‘Mondrem’ is a similar tapestry of chugging riffs, reverb-drenched atmosphere and scorching blastbeats, culminating in a potently simple final section that feels like finally surfacing after struggling against an aggressive ocean current.
What makes this release really special, however, is the vocal performance. Of course, it helps that Copse have Devil Sold His Soul vocalist Ed Gibbs at the helm; a man who has been doing emotive screaming in a high-profile band for the best part of 20 years. Ed’s powerful and distinctive voice immediately elevates these two tracks from excellent to exceptional and while it would be fair to say that his presence on the record will help it get more attention, that shouldn’t take away from how good this record would still be even if Copse didn’t have a “big name” as part of their lineup.
If there’s any criticism to be levelled at this release, it’s that it’s too short. At seventeen and a half minutes long, it’s a fairly standard EP length, but it feels like it’s over in half that. It will be interesting to see what Copse are capable of on a full length, where they should have room to branch into other areas and tap into other less obvious influences, but for now this is about as good a debut release as you’re likely to hear all year.
LIAM KNOWLES