RIFF REWIND (29/5/2013): The Moth Gatherer - "A Bright Celestial Light"

The Moth Gatherer was founded in Stockholm in 2009 by Victor Wegeborn and Alex Stjernfeldt. They started The Moth Gatherer as a sort of therapy, a way to deal with the loss of people they loved and the hole it left behind. The Moth Gathererwas a way for Alexand Victorto move on.

During 2009 and 2010 they explored their sound, and in mid 2010 they began recording what was to become their debut ”A Bright Celestial Light”. It contains 5 songs and 45 minute play time.

About the name”The Moth Gatherer” Alexcommented in an interview:”We went through some personal tragedies and felt like we were lost in darkness and we fumbled towards a source of light, just like moths. So the name The Moth Gatherer felt kind of fitting for us.”

In April 2013 they released their debut "A Bright Celestial Light" through Agonia Recordsto critical acclaim. Many reviewers praising The Moth Gatherer’sever evolving sound and atmospheric approach to song writing.  The debut was mentioned in several "best of 2013"-lists, among Metal Mouth, Close-Up Magazine, Hellbound etc.  In late 2013, Svante Karlsson joined the band to complete the line-up and to bring a sonic groove to the drums. 2014 was a year of a small tour and one off shows, while 2015 marked their first festival appearance at Devilstone Open Air. On November 27th, 2015, their second album "The Earth Is The Sky" was released. 

Today we’re rewinding back 4 years to the day, with a review of The Moth Gatherer’s phenomenal debut “"A Bright Celestial Light"”. So join us, as we continue on our quest to trawl through The Sludgelord archives to present the best albums you may have missed.  So if you overlooked this band/album, be sure to remedy your error by checking out our review and the record is streaming in full below. 

By: Matt Fitton

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 16/04/2013

Label: Agonia Records

For a first time offering this is some overwhelmingly good output. Huge riffs explode into existence but it retains a progressive base that it works from. This album is heavier than planets bouncing off each other.

“A Bright Celestial Light” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). The Water That We All Come To Need

2). Intervention

3). A Road Gravel And Skulls

4). The Womb, The Woe, The Woman

5). A Falling Deity

The Review:

If I had a fiver for every time somebody told me about some amazing new post / progressive / experimental band from Sweden I would be a very rich man. That being said, check out this awesome new Swedish band...

The Moth Gatherer are from Sweden, home to many cool bands of their ilk. They deal in the aforementioned sounds and sub-genres, but the real meat and potatoes of it is that they're really quite badass. They weave textures into their music that stay with you long after it concludes, and that way of thinking is written all over their debut album 'A Bright Celestial Light'. It can also be heavy in spades, which automatically earns them major kudos around these here parts.

The first slice of gold on offer is 'The Water That We All Come to Need'. It eases into life with some beautiful acoustic guitar strumming and a light, yet pounding beat in the background. Then it turns its head and really brings the beef. Huge riffs explode into existence but it retains a progressive base that it works from. Really impressive stuff. Heavier than planets bouncing off each other.

'Intervention'is a noisier affair from the start, but still paced out with some melodic loveliness. The tranquil moments on this record are always like the eye of a storm though, and they set you up consistently for some crushing and cavernous low-end monster sounds. Those calming parts are glorious and rightfully earn their place. The vocals are also right up there in the mix, like they're reaching for the stars from the depths.

'The Womb, The Woe, The Woman'has some terrific droning riffs that increase in impact and effect when they are twinned with the serenity that is peppered throughout the track, and indeed the entire record. I imagine it's somewhat like the feeling that a nomadic tribesman must get when he stares at the night sky to guide him. You could be in the middle of nowhere and yet still feel connected to something. This music is just like that, and this track is powerful just like that. The piano toward the halfway mark is pure icing on the cake, right before the whole thing takes a HUGE left turn into hell and becomes heavier than the Earth's core. Mag-fucking-nificent.

For a first time offering from a group that isn't really a group (there's only TWO of them involved) this is some overwhelmingly good output. This is for the real music lovers, of both the grit and the peace, and you NEED this in your life. I heartily recommend that you check the band and this record out. You won't be disappointed.

Band info: Facebook