In the world of post-rock and post-metal, it’s a common joke that the musicians involved go to untold lengths to get the “right” tone. Long chains of pedals, endless tweaking of reverb and delay, and an overall (somewhat) self-deprecating perspective on the pursuit are common tropes of the genres. However, I think I’ve yet to see dedication to tone, space, and just sheer musical size like TÖRZS are bringing on their upcoming album, Tükör (“mirror”). They recorded the entire album (yes, the entire thing) completely live at a location called Aggteleki Cseppkőbarlang, nestled deep within a cave system situated inside an Hungarian national park. Yes, the entire album. Live, in a cave.
If you think that’s just a gimmick, some sort of curio to be told at post-rock festivals or around very specific family dinner tables, I assure you that’s not the case. All you need to do is check out the video for “Negyedik”, which we are proud to premiere here today. You’ll notice several things: first, the quality of the video itself. It’s kind of amazing the insane levels of professionalism involved in the making of this video. The sound quality, the visual quality, the story-telling are all done to the highest degree, whether inside the cave or outside at the beautiful park. The second thing you’ll notice is probably the echo. You can distinctly hear the guitars bouncing off of the earthen walls, returning in manifold back to your ears. It’s really not like any other delay or reverb I’ve hard; it’s much louder in ways but also sharper, creating a really interesting tone when it clashes with the “core” guitar sound. Listen especially for the 3:25 mark, when the instruments go silent and only the echo remains.
The last thing you’ll notice is how goddamn beautiful this track is. Drawing comparisons to acts like sleepmakeswaves, Caspian, and Ranges, “Negyedik” evokes a strong kind of introspection. It’s not necessarily about gazing into the distance morosely but rather facing yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, the impotence of your life and the unbelievable potential you hold at the same time. The echo does much to build upon the ideas set forth by the band; when the quiet parts hit, the echo is all encompassing and frankly daunting, looking to flood you. When the crescendo is in full swing, it adds a thickness to it that is unlike anything else I’ve heard, not quite. When the guitar cleaves, alone, through the silence, the caves add their voice to its singing. The dripping at the beginning and end of the track are the perfect framing for this endeavor.
In short, it’s damn beautiful. Tükör is set for a Fall release and if you’re a fan of post-rock to any capacity, this is an album you want to keep your eyes on. Go follow the band on Facebook to make sure you don’t drop the ball.