Calligram – Position | Momentum (Post-Blackened Crust)
Am I in the mood for post-black metal with a little of that blackened hardcore and a touch of the crust? Sure, why not? I’m in a good mood. Plus, don’t really seem to be easily accessible reviews out there, so let’s start the process for the good boys in Calligram, who appear to be the most recent UK band I’ve covered since, damn, 2017?! Is that really possible? I feel like my tag system needs reprogrammed, but maybe it’s true. Anyway, this shit slams the soul.
Calligram’s strongest point is in the writing in Position | Momentum. Combining elements of post-black metal, crust punk (slightly), and blackened hardcore, the result is dense and rewarding. What is “post” about anyway, though? Sometimes it seems like a misnomer but Calligram is mostly clear. Their presence feels black, yet it moves into different territories; acoustic, sullen passages with a surprisingly effective usage of saxophone, delicate touches that burst into suffering screeches, and absolutely bursting displays of intense riffing. There’s truly a lot of raw power, yet they also know how to weaken the sound for a touch of tenderness. My only complaint is the vocals tend to be largely consistent and OSBM in practically every possible way. There are moments of experimentation, but they keep it too safe for the most part. Pull some of that feeling from the riff and force-feed that shit into the throat. If you can’t distance every element carrying the post tag can become a curse. Still, you’ll dig it, and Calligram certainly are no fools to their own abilities to bend.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Calligram – Position | Momentum
Prosthetic Records, Trepanation Recordings
Cover Art: Deborah Sheedy
4.4 / 5
