L’appel Du Vide – Abwärtsspirale 7″ (It’s Eleven Records)

Post-punk must be one of those subgenres that never lost consistency. Compared to the remainder of punk rock branches, the post-punk scene always has something fresh and unique to offer to the audience who loves those reverby, dark, soothing melodies and harmonies. Today, I have a chance to present to you a band that unquestionably waves the banner of post-punk up high, and they are doing it pretty damn well. L’appel Du Vide is a relatively new German band, but they already sound like pros. The band released a demo in 2020, which showcases the greatness of the post-punk genre by embracing the eighties aesthetics. Two years later, L’appel Du Vide is ready to present you the official debut 7″ release, which sounds enormously good from scratch to finish.

Abwärtsspirale, or downward spiral, carries four excellent compositions. What I like the most is how the group avoided the repetition, and you won’t find the compositions from the demo on this 7″. This particular EP release showcases a more harmonious, melodic side of the L’appel Du Vide. If you compare their demo and Abwärtsspirale, you’ll notice how the demo recordings sound a bit dirtier than the actual 7″. Of course, both releases are equally good, but Abwärtsspirale reveals a natural progression of the band. It’s more than clear that L’appel Du Vide invested more ideas, time, and effort in this material, which in my honest opinion, sounds incredible from beginning to end. There’s a layer of abrasiveness lurking around, but everything sounds much cleaner and polished, with all the instruments equally present in the mix.

Soundwise, perhaps L’appel Du Vide solely rely on eighties post-punk sound, but this EP unquestionably includes more elements. Therefore, you’ll notice some properties of classic punk rock, deathrock, darkwave, or goth rock. Of course, all these ingredients harmoniously work together, and L’appel Du Vide Vide used all their potential so Abwärtsspirale could sound this good. What I also adore about this material are reverby melodies, harmonies, and themes that continuously defy fuzzy chord progressions and riffs. The warm-sounding basslines contribute to the power and ambiance from beneath, but still, the bass guitar is equally volumed like guitars, so you’ll hear it all the time. Nothing would sound dynamic and powerful without the excellent mid-tempo rhythmic maneuvers. It’s obvious that these guys know how to channel their ideas through catchy, exciting, entertaining musicianship. Therefore, if you somehow missed them before, pay close attention to their music now. Head to It’s Eleven Records for more information about ordering this excellent 7″ release.