“Far too young to simply make your peace. Far too old to not keep promises.”
Erosion/Avulsion is something of a new beginning for Hidden Mothers. Despite the timing of their debut EP, which dropped deep into the pandemic, its three tracks garnered the band much respect. This has them through the UK’s heavy underground circuit, peaking with appearances at ArcTanGent and Portals festivals. It put forward the band as a blackened post metal project with dual vocals and heartfelt moments aplenty. Erosion/Avulsion exchanges one member and has left much of their blackened influence behind, incorporating a more post hardcore angle to their sound. They’re no less heavy, and now even more emotive.
Hidden Mothers returned to Joe Clayton of No Studio forErosion/Avulsion, whom the band have worked with since their debut track. The pair have grown together, leading to a recording that is the pinnacle of both their discographies. “Defanged” pulls us into their world flurrying blast beats and vocal barks from bassist Liam Knowles. It’ll make your hair stand on end, but the production is restrained, letting chords die out gracefully and maximising dynamic potential; the monotony often associated with post metal is missing. Case in point is the track’s second half, by which point the vocals have been traded off, and guitaristLuke Scrivens takes the lead with layered cleans. Scrivens’ voice is ideally suited to gut-punch emotional moments and “Defanged” provides the first of many on Erosion/Avulsion.
Another smart move that plays out across the record are the track structures. Hidden Mothers continue to keep their tracks in the four-to-six minute range, finding that sweet spot where an epic-feeling structure can be formed without becoming overwrought. “Death Curl” and “Still Sickness” demonstrate this format, but couldn’t be more different. “Death Curl” is the most post hardcore they’ve ever sounded, and “Still Sickness” is a truly new style track for the band, like a doom-gaze track that doesn’t get too carried away in its own echoes.
As strong as these tracks are, the record reaches its full potential from track four onwards. “Caton Green” is a delicate interlude based on an extremely simple guitar melody. The whole band donates a clean addition to the tapestry, keeping things spacious for a well earned break on the ears. It’s one of those interludes that is a delight on its own, as well as being a key structural element that supports the surrounding tracks. It’s arguably a prelude to “The Grey” where the tranquil melody is carried over in a twisted form, becoming spirited and ominous. In a moment of pause, Knowles belts off-mic (“Currents can’t change, they drag you beneath…”), whereupon the darkness swells further. The ultimate crescendo is broken up by further barks for an extremely gratifying finale.
This one-two punch repeats on “Grandfather” / “Violet Sun”, the former being a western waltz, the latter taking that 3/4 rhythm into another massive track. Somehow “Violet Sun”’s counterpoint between guitar leads and vocals becomes the catchiest melody on the record, probably what you’ll be humming long after it ends. There will have been no debate when choosing the record’s closing track: “Haze” is weaponised toward finality. Another tender vocal intro from Scrivens begets the band’s slowest beatdown, unlocking a realm of feedback and drone for a proper post-metal send-off.
Post-genres lend themselves to themes of personal reflection, and Erosion/Avulsion is full of measured takes on the haunted human mind. “Defanged” takes aim at scapegoat politics, challenging both those who dish it out and lap it up. “Still Sickness” discusses the unique struggle of long-term personal burdens. The true ailment is kept hidden, but it can be read as depression, self loathing, or even a chronic illness that might hold one back. The track offers little hope, except that these internal forces can be separated from ourselves (“You know I live in the back of my mind”). If this is the case, “Violet Sun” is the exorcism – “With a back to the pavement, I breathe deep and let go”. This plays out in a real conversation between the vocalists, holding one another back from the edge (“Before you abandon, think of all that’s to come, the hearts that surround you, the life left undone“). A somehow even more personal story hides in the record: the instrumental “Canton Green” is named after a nursing home, suggesting the track “Grandfather” is not about a clock.
As the band’s live material has completely shifted to their Erosion/Avulsion material, it’s safe to say they’ve fully embraced a new era. Fans of their blackened influence may be somewhat disappointed, but I would argue they’ve read the wider scene and stepped towards a less type-cast sound. They move out of the shadow of the likes of Deafheaven and Oathkeeper, towards something that is harder to place. The pliability of their new sound works very well for the LP format, crafting a meticulous and varied experience. Erosion/Avulsion is a strong step forwards for Hidden Mothers that should deliver them to new heights in 2025.
8/10
Erosion/Avulsion releases through Church Road Records on the 29th November and can be pre-ordered here.