Review: Unreqvited Transcends and Expands with Pathway to the Moon
Initially sprouting from the depressive black metal scene with the 2016 debut Disquiet, the Canadian one-man project Unreqvited sported emotional and dynamic depth far beyond most sad-boy black metal. The subsequent four albums further realized this potential as mastermind 鬼 expanded his arrangements to encompass a wide array of post-metal. Even as his ambition grew, 鬼 never let his pursuit of layered orchestration get in the way of genuine expression. But his development also comes from a desire to sound more natural and fluid than other one-man metal bands. That’s part of what makes Pathway to the Moon so remarkable. This is the most fleshed out and, well, bandish Unreqvited has ever sounded.
Unreqvited has always favored a more cinematic sound, but 鬼 got some help to up the ante for Pathway to the Moon via orchestral treatments from one Jamie Turton. These touches immediately take “Overture I Disintegrate” into the stratosphere of tangible epicness. 鬼’s singing voice also makes a profound entrance. Those who know his full musical background shouldn’t be surprised to hear his familiarity with hooks, striking a balance between the demure warmth of Neige from Alcest and the expressive passion of Sleep Token. Orchestral loveliness? Audible lyrics? Has Unreqvited sold out? Get a load of “The Antimatter” before you make assumptions.
Charging out the gate dissonant guitar stabs, hammering drums and surprisingly powerful screams, it’s clear that Unreqvited still wants to pack a punch with their brand of post-metal. 鬼 uses melodicism to inform the dynamic range of the song instead of softening its impact. Besides, his vocal harmonies work tremendously well alongside the heavier instrumentation. The more surprising venture becomes the hard-hitting, at times poly-rhythmic riffage. Syncopated chugs and black metal don’t usually mix, but 鬼 makes it work by wisely choosing his moments to experiment.
Unreqvited’s music has bloomed so much that the first two tracks make the project’s roots in bedroom DSBM hard to fathom. Still, seasoned fans may hear some nods to the band’s first big song (and most played on Spotify) “The Autumn Fire” in the mournfully buoyant chord progressions and explosive dynamic changes found in “The Starforger.” Although this track and “Void Essence” share a familiar penchant for glacial sadness, 鬼 continues to display his growth as a songwriter and arranger. As his singing meshes with his signature whispy cries of sorrow, his drum sequencing stands out more “human” than previous releases. This leads to more natural dynamics, supporting the Unreqvited stable of lush ambience.
If 鬼 wanted to make Unreqvited feel more like a band that can play live than a collection of layered loops, then he succeeded with flying colors. Yes, the rhythm changes on “Into the Starlit Beyond” do sometimes enter that hyper-clean uncanny valley of digital gridlock, but the way each instrument plays off the other remains as close to human-to-human chemistry as a solo project could get. His talent for extracting beautiful harmonies from spacious crescendos comes strengthened by tremendous build-ups from serene soundscapes to star-trotting extremity. Being at least adjacent to post-rock, a short interlude like “Celestial Sleep” displays 鬼’s enduring ability to concoct a depthful atmosphere without getting to long-winded.
At 43 minutes, Pathway to the Moon doesn’t fall into the post-rock trap of overplaying a less-than-interesting interesting idea. This edition of Unreqvited seems more interested in creating these sonic ventures in a tasteful, accessible package. With no screams, blast beats, or tremolo picking necessary, “Departure – Everlasting Dream” is able to whisk listeners away to a precipice of energized modulations and uplifting melodies, only to tuck them into a bed of muted piano chords. It just goes to show Unreqvited doesn’t care about being anything other than emotive, engaging and beautiful. Labels be damned.
Pathway to the Moonwas begs the question of when, how, and where Unreqvited will build out their tour schedule, as fans of post-metal should be flocking to any upcoming shows. This is not only the project’s most vital and dynamic record to date, but an engaging encapsulation of what made the project cool to begin with. Long-time fans will still have plenty of beautiful post-metal to soak in, with some added power, riffs and melodies to chew on.
Unreqvited’s Pathway to the Moon comes out February 7 on Prophecy Productions.
