Review: Outlander ‘Acts Of Harm’

If ever there were a ‘next favourite band’ in need of exposure, then it would be these guys, Outlander. You need look no further than here, as this should be where the journey ends, and your go to for maximum escapism will be absolutely realised within. Having performed together for just over a decade, it’s insane to believe that Acts Of Harm is only the second album by them.

Yes, there have been EP’s and singles along the way, but beyond 2019’s The Valium Machine, Acts Of Harm is only just surfacing, five years since its sibling. Looking at the quartet from Birmingham in the United Kingdom’s social media platforms, it’s easy to see that the band are very much quality over quantity, and their catalogue is absolute proof of that statement.

With Acts Of Harm, the band have evolved again, and if you dare to take the plunge, you will be thoroughly rewarded with for sure. The album itself carries seven tracks of wonderfully melded shoegaze and doom, with a nod to post-rock, that is so darkly rich, it will have you intoxicated by its morose beauty.

This doomgaze masterclass should firmly solidify the band’s status as a new force to be reckoned with, and in the process should turn heads away from a lot of mundane and safe ‘rock music’, and on to the underground as the place to find the real cutting edge of progress in the scene.

Bound opens the whole affair, and in doing so exposes us unequivocally to the wonder of Outlander over the course of its six and a bit minute outpouring. The sombre eclectic guitar, accompanied by a soft otherworldly vocal, draws us in, giving a false sense of sereneness, before opening out onto a dark shoegaze plateau. It has a real nostalgic ‘90s indie sound to it, and as someone who not only lived through but loved a lot of the indie music of that era, this warms my very core.

It feels familiar, yet mysterious, and leaves me at a loss as to even who I would point at for comparison. At times it feels a bit Deafheaven, there’s a nostalgia, but with a new dimension which leaves little doubt that it isn’t anything more than a rehash of old ideas and concepts. For its, at times, starkness, it still feels incredibly warm, and Lye Waste is another prime example of this reinvention of sonic ideas. Both tracks cover this eclectic retro vibe and while I believe neither are intentionally constructed this way, the finished product sure does nudge towards those concepts.

This doomgaze masterclass should firmly solidify the band’s status as a new force to be reckoned with…

On tracks such as Want No More and Orbit the band step firmly into a harsher sound. The vocal on the former has a darker tone to it than on other tracks, and while the latter is instrumental, it isn’t in any way less abrasive. Want No More also pushes me into a whole Slow Crush realm, with hints of disjointed richness, and otherworldly dark shoegaze twinges.

Now, considering that I don’t think there is any weaker point throughout the entirety of this album, one standout track for me is New Motive Power. It fully encapsulates everything I love this band for, and over the course of the eight-plus minute track, there isn’t a single second where I am not mesmerised. There is a hypnotic power about this one, and even though it is somewhat abrasive, it is trippy in a way that isn’t overly present elsewhere on the album.

Touching on track six again, Lye Waste really homes in on this idea of dense, intense closeness that Outlander seem to excel at. Its opening pensive drone sets the scene for an airer piece, before opening out into a fuller experience. Waves of emotion roll over the track and as it drops off, before returning in intensity, the use of muted tones really impacts the listening experience.

By the time track seven and album closer, Habituation, is upon us, the band have well and truly obliterated any notion that they are merely just another band jumping on that newfound love of shoegaze as an integral element in their sound. This is so much more than just a quick cash grab concept, every note is perfectly considered, and you can hear a band who have taken the time to create something wonderful.

As retro as it may sound, it also feels incredibly timeless. It is on a level of considered evaluation of notes, more than just mere noise, built with love, which can not only be heard but can be felt too. This album is a testament to the adage that good things take time, it may have been five years since their previous long player, but it’s been five years well spent, building and creating to this moment and boy, what a moment it is…

Label: Church Road Records
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Lee Beamish