It isn’t controversial to say that their debut Mire is one of the most impressive records, let alone debuts, by a British band in the last 15 years. The fact the follow up Páthos, a labyrinthine exploration of emotion through technical and intricate heaviness, suffered (unfairly) for it shows that the Midlands riff masters have always had the ability to cross over with their unique brand of heavy. For a while there were dissenting voices, again unfairly, wondering if the bloom had come off the rose. Those that misunderstood will have missed clear signs as to where Conjurer would eventually end up. The road paved by those previous two records has led the way to, what can only be described, as their masterpiece. Unself sees Conjurer laser focused, viscerally emotional, and leaving nothing off the metaphorical creative table.
Musically, Unself blends the Mastodon-esque groove that Mire had in abundance seamlessly with those more uncomfortably violent dissonant passages that were showcased on Pàthos. Tracks like ‘All Apart’ and ‘The Searing Glow’ go from spacious post metal and black metal tinges into riffs so monumental they could level whole cities. The experimentation doesn’t stop at just blending their metal influences, as the whole record opens with a heartbreaking folk song, beautifully led by Dani Nightingale’s soul rendering vocal. It’s all meticulously planned and executed to perfection. A special note has to be saved for the production job that Joe Clayton (No Studio, Pijn, Floodlit Recordings) has done in bringing every moment of the record into sharp focus.
Lyrically and thematically though is where Conjurer have really laid themselves bare. Centering around personal identity, gone are the layers of allegory and step forward a beautiful, often violent and impassioned plea for understanding, love, and acceptance. ‘Hang Them In Your Head’, the lead single, takes aim at the billionaire class that keeps their boot on the necks of ordinary people. Both the title track and closer ‘This World Is Not My Home’, reworkings of a Jim Reeves hymn, take a deep look at systems of society aren’t built for people with neurodivergence or differing gender identities. Using the framework of a hymn, a cornerstone of an uninhabitable norm, to discuss these issues, and for lack of better phrasing, is a stroke of genius. As well as all that, ‘Let Us Live’ is a trans-rights anthem in the making with a very simple, yet powerful plea that cannot be mistaken for anything other than demand for equality and an end to the erasure that so many trans people face in real time.
With every creative decision made on this record, it feels like Conjurer are truly growing into a force that can be taken to any stage in every corner of the globe without ever compromising on what makes them unique. Unself is the biggest step they have taken toward that top table, and if there is any justice in the world, the seat at the head of it has been vacated for them to rightfully take as their own.