Dear Mother – Necessary Darkness

Dear Mother showed up swinging with a stellar debut album called “Bulletproof“. For me it was quite a sensation, given how skillfully this album merged metalcore and alternative metal elements. It sounded punchy and modern but also had a certain throwback to nu metal vibes. However, in the aftermath, I wasn’t sure whether the band would evolve or get repetitive, since the songs were somewhat formulaic. Well, two years later, new music hit the shelves with the EP “Necessary Darkness“, and I’m glad to say, they are even stronger and every bit as relevant as they were on their debut.

As the title accurately suggests, “Necessary Darkness” is darker than its predecessor. With only 4 tracks and less than 20 minutes of run time, it makes sense that they wouldn’t prioritize any variation, but focus on one specific vibe, and that’s exactly what they did. And that vibe is DARK. The music deals with anger, distrust, conflict and deception. There’s an ominous undertone permeating through all the songs, leaving a sense of unease, on top of which the barrage of riffs and drums can unfold.

Dear Mother – Threads

I feel like the writing on this EP is more technical and aggressive than on the debut album. At least the first two songs are quite fast and headbangy. ‘Unbreakable’ kicks off very hectic with all instruments running (even the vocals). Most of the song keeps up that pace, and even when it clears out some of the agitation in the chorus and breakdown, it still sounds massive. ‘Threads’ is just as punchy and in-your-face, but less speedy and more planted into what might be the most stink-face-inducing main riff they ever offered. The latter 2 songs however, ‘Wildfire’ and ‘Delusion’ seem more vulnerable and melodic but equally dark. On all songs, the riffs and verses are generally aggressive and screamy while the chorus gets more melodic. There are, however, subtle lead guitar melodies permeating various parts of the songs and maintaining the ominous vibe. Guitarist Merel Bechtold also offers some amazing solos (‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Delusion’).

Lyrically and vocally, I find this EP very interesting. It seems to be flowing from anger and hurt to reflection and hopelessness. ‘Unbreakable’ sounds like a conflict unfolding quite violently on a basis of hurt and distrust. ‘Threads’ sounds more like a criticism. It’s less intense in the emotions and more solid and determined. However, it’s still very conflictual. These two are interesting because I feel like they can be interpreted on a personal level as well as a depiction of toxic collective behavior. The latter songs however, feel more personal. ‘Wildfire’ is somewhat reflective and in ‘Delusion’ everything is decidedly deceptive and driven towards a downfall. David Pear‘s performance is a great fit for the vibe of the songs and for the lyrics. He has the right balance between power and aggression on one hand and hurt or vulnerability on the other, that makes this music sound so ominous. His ability to shift between screams, gritty singing and soft, breathy moments beautifully complements the motions of the music.

Dear Mother – Wildfire

I find the EP punchy and engaging enough to be listened to for fun or workouts, but it’s also emotional and creative in an interesting way. It’s very good for processing dark emotions. The sequence of the first opening tracks being more focused on aggression while the latter two are more melodic and fragile creates a motion of first sinking into the dark feelings and then releasing them. The moment in ‘Delusion’ where Merel Bechtold sings and also delivers her guitar solo is not only a great surprise but also the emotional peak that I feel the entire release was moving towards. It’s the point of pure catharsis.

The combination of aggression and vulnerability, dark lyrics that leave room for interpretation and just enough variation from the “Bulletproof” album to prevent redundancy, makes “Necessary Darkness” a strong next step for Dear Mother, and totally worth checking out despite the short run time.

Track List:

1. 1. Unbreakable (03:47)
   2. Threads (03:57)
   3. Wildfire (04:11)
   4. Delusion (03:47)