7 Oct 2024
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Claemus - EP Review: Mercurial

27 May 2024 // A review by Deprivacy

Mercurial, is the latest 5- track EP from Wellington powerhouse Claemus, and what an instalment it is!

At some stage or another in New Zealand music, you would have heard this trio of talent. Claemus is a band making huge waves here, and abroad, and with each album, and EP, they continue to leave us speechless, and the new 5- track EP Mercurial, is no different. From the moment you press play, you are hooked!

Starting at the opening track Calibrate, you instantly hear the production quality and it’s an absolute stand-out! Beginning with a subtle piano piece which soon turns into the power of the full band, it easily lures you into the song. Another note to mention from the start is the song writing, from a band where we thought the song writing was unique and top of its game, they’ve stepped it up again. Vocal delivery on this track is very expertly done, something we have been treated to in previous Claemus tracks.

Track 3 Superliminal is yet another banger, with another short introduction, leading into the full band. It’s a formula I find exciting, and keeps the listeners engaged and guessing. The offbeat nature of the song really shines through and adds great groove. Once again layered with powerful vocals and vocal melodies and lyrics, this song becomes nothing short of a masterpiece!

My personal favourite on the EP is Conduit, a song that begins with a stunning guitar intro, which in itself, instantly grabs your attention. One of my favourite stand outs for this track is not only a very elaborately written track, but also the huge sound (like all tracks on this EP), and a vocal hook you can’t remove from your mind. I won’t disclose how many times this track has been played in my house, but it’s a lot!

Finally on the EP is the finishing track Ephemoral, a beautiful composition of music to help you finish your journey through this experience of the Mercurial EP. It’s a very relaxing track, which also demonstrates the diversity in the music, and talent we’ve come to admire. A finishing thought for this EP is that I’m in absolute awe of what Claemus has created. The sound these three lads are creating and shear musicianship, makes this a band to watch and support any way possible. I say it in every review, but I’m constantly amazed with the talent, and mark that New Zealand music is leaving on the world! If there’s one band I can suggest to check out, It’s Claemus!

 

About Claemus

The underlying ethos in Claemus has been to fuse the musical influences of three musicians coming from classic rock, Avante garde and death metal backgrounds.

Starting in late 2011 the band aimed to achieve new sonic possibilities in the progressive rock genre by fusing ambient textural sounds, deep rhythmic grooves and catchy hooks. With influences ranging from Karnivool, Mudvayne, God is an Astronaut and Shpongle it is clear that Claemus want to be defined by a musical approach rather than a particular genre. Claemus’ musical approach can be characterised by a philosophy that aims to give each song a unique feeling often resulting in varying dynamics, time signatures and key changes in the one song.

Claemus has been together for five years and are based in the Hutt Valley which is a largely suburban area located outside of Wellington. The experience of growing up in a small town with an uncultured stereotype attached to it has served as serious musical inspiration. Instead of adhering to the stereotype ascribed by outsiders, the band aims to encourage youth to pursue creative outlets and be proud of their roots. Pursuing a creative outlet has enabled Claemus to slowly become an exciting band on the rise within the Wellington scene.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Claemus

Releases

Mercurial
Year: 2024
Type: EP
Daydream
Year: 2021
Type: Album
Claemus
Year: 2016
Type: EP

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