Tӧrsz – Menedék | Album Review

Not every album has to reinvent the wheel, and Tӧrz haven’t. But if you love post rock, there's probably something in here for you.

Instrumental post is one of those genres that is easy enough to do decently, difficult to do really well, and almost impossible to do in an iconic, groundbreaking fashion; everything that makes the genre what it is, is so easily identifiable that while there is nuance to the genre, a lot of it tends to come from ultra-specific theming, and/or cross-pollination with other genres. There’s a reason why there’s a post version of so many metal genres – the hallmarks of post can be added into pretty much anything to create a new crossover genre, in much the same way that you can add some scuzzy, lo-fi riffs and cold, brittle atmospherics to pretty much anything and get a blackened sub-genre.

To be clear, this is in no way a criticism – far from it. There are very few genres in metal, or anywhere else, that are as easy to identify and experiment with as post. It also makes for an interesting duality when you’re a fan of such things: there’s always a new strange fusion experiment or bizarre genre mashup to get your teeth into when you’re in the mood. Then, when you’re not, there’s plenty of excellent regular, straight post, that does all the things you expect, maybe throws a few unexpected flourishes in there to keep you on your toes, but otherwise functions a little like an aural comfort blanket. The very best of this second variety work on multiple levels: they can be wrenchingly evocative, atmospheric music to zone out to, they can be an emotional journey through the dizzying highs and lows of the human soul, or they can simply be a beautiful album taken at face value.

Through the second of those two doors, step Tӧrsz. Opening with a series of confident, resonant notes, Menedék arrives in a stately yet understated manner that belies the wide array of classic post rock elements that are to come. So wide an array, in fact, that Tӧrsz come out the other end having at least flirted with pretty much every trick in the post rock book. To the point that if you have a decent idea what a excellent instrumental post rock album sounds like, then you already very much know what you’re getting into with Tӧrsz and Menedék.

There are pretty, meandering bits of ethereal melancholy, there are bigger, brasher parts with deliciously heavy riffs and distortion. There’s a constant battle throughout between the soft and airy and the scuzzy and lairy, between the light and the dark. It soars into the heavens, but also invites you to examine the deepest, darkest corners of yourself and life in general, sometimes unexpectedly so. It’s somehow inherently comforting throughout, even when throwing big riffs around, not unlike getting a hug, but one where the other person is significantly more solid than you were expecting – a big bear hug from someone who really didn’t look that strong. In other words, it’s everything you already know and love about post rock, which is both a strength and something of a weakness.

Menedék apparently roughly translates to “refuge”, which fits with the comforting vibes across the album: Tӧrsz are trying to take you on a journey here, but they’re with you every step of the way in more than one sense. And it works, for the most part, if you give it your undivided attention. For all the intricate and beautiful elements contained within, it is a somewhat fragile beast, and can tend to drift into the background fairly easily if you’re not paying attention. Part of this is because, while it is done well, Menedék isn’t really bringing anything terribly new to the table, so the familiarity that makes it really easy to get into, also means it’s easy to forget that it’s new and has something to say.