TIDELESS are a band of five from San Diego, California, consisting of Kyle Armendariz, (Drums & Vocals), Carlos Gaitan, (Guitars, Lyrics, Composition), Aaron Clarke, (Guitars), Javier Monreal, (Bass, Synthesizers, Keyboards) and Diego Gonzalez, (Backing Vocals). They have recently released their second full-length album called EYE OF WATER which was Produced at Toadhouse Recording Studios in Portland, Oregon and Ramona Recording Studios in Ramona, California. The record is released via Chaos Records. Their genre can best be described as Death/Doom Metal/Shoegaze. Interesting to note there are five tracks on this album…. but don’t be disheartened some of these are quite monstrous in length.
Drowning is a 6:40 minute instrumental that will sink you down into a very dark atmospheric doom scape…. definitively drowning.
Fields of Dawn, is lyrically poetic and continues the slow drowning pace of Synth as its predecessor. Some long-drawn-out growls to pleasure the ears of the lost souls that delight in this style of music. As we drift further into this 14:54 minute abyss where we hear the pace quicken slightly and some intricate yet morbid-sounding chord progressions that eventually meld into some clean melancholy guitar and some quite beautiful keyboards. Kyles’s drumming, is quite subdued yet his steady pace keeps everything together. This isn’t a song for headbanging but rather something you can chill out to.
Oblations, much faster in pace to begin with, a chaotic mass of aggressive growls and fist-pounding that ticks all the boxes. Some haunting lead work from either Aaron or Carlos, not sure which is the master behind the solos. Slipping back into the overwhelmingly suffocating (in a good way) atmospheric soundscape that mingles with some more of those deep drawn-out growls, there is lots of space in this song, almost like slipping in and out of consciousness, a trans-like state. This song runs a whopping 18.52 minutes. I love the inclusion of the crashing waves… a bit of mental imagery.
Laurels of Victory staying within their signature style as it’s processors, you can listen to this album from start to finish and not realize which song you’re listening to as each flows on from the next almost like listening to one enormously long composition.
Lush, Serene, Dissolved, the longest track of them all on this album, a whopping 23.54 minutes long. Again, we drift from the slow atmospheric scene to a faster-paced paced upbeat and turbulent display of power. I have to say, I would usually never pick up an album in this genre to listen to as I’m normally not a fan of music with growling vocals; however, I found this one quite enjoyable to listen to. I found this disturbingly soothing. Overall, a solid creation and I can see the appeal. Grab yourself a copy, kick your feet up and let this one carry you away with the tides.
TIDELESS: Facebook
Release Year: 2023
Label: Chaos Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by GG Baf
