RWAKE-REST

Relapse Records
2011


Rest is album number five for Arkansas’ backwoods atmospheric hardcore/
sludge/doom metal/experimental act Rwake. Seeing as this is the first new material in over four years expectations have been high for "Rest". First things first though and a bit of history on the band. Rwake was formed in 1996. First conceived of as a jam band (and originally going by the name Wake) there first real gig was in Batesville, Arkansas at the Landers Theater in March of 1997. The group released a demo in 1998 called "Xenoglossalgia: The Last Stage of Awareness" before issuing the self-release album "Absence Due to Projection" in 1999. In late 2001 the group began to tour on a steady basis. 2002 saw the release of "Hell is a Door to the Sun" with "If You Walk Before You Crawl You Crawl Before You Die" released in 2004 and "Voices Of Omens" released in 2007. All of their albums have received positive reviews and Rwake has developed a healthy following. In "Rest" Rwake has created another complex album that is so much more than just sludge/doom. Vocalist C.T. and company mix in melodic moments on tracks like "The Culling" (the build up on this 16 minute plus track features wonderful lead guitar work that is melodic and technical) while the track "Was Only A Dream" is sinister sludge at it's finest. The contrast between the two works on many levels. Terms like heavy, vile, ugly, black and evil mix with terms like beautiful, epic, soulful and deep to make "Rest" an album that warrants repeated listens. The four years off seems to have done the group well as "Rest" is a superb album from start to finish.