Release Date: 24^th January 2020 (Digitally)

Label:  Self released via Bandcamp

Formats: Ltd CD / CD / DL / LP

Seen recently rocking out with Leprous on their amazing Pitfalls tour (our review – “five guys and a cello” – here) we discover that there’s more to Canadian cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne than meets the eye.

His work with Leprous might rank as ‘cello meets metal’. A case of enhancing the atmospheric aspects of the Leprous material. He certainly adds a different dimension to their live sound. And a different look to be fair, standing beside the neatly trimmed Norwegians with his flowing long hair sweeping with the intensity and power of their music.

World’s Within, however, sees him delivering some similarly sombre cello but on his own terms. Ten tracks, several combining to form extended pieces, place the emphasis on the moody and ambient nature of his instrument, for once neither fettered or complicated by the use of band dynamics.

Sandwiched between the eerie and haunting sadness of Unending I and II, the four parts of Tumult form a centerpiece that mixes electronic moments with an imposing and impending threat. One of the heavier parts of the album, a recurring theme combines some frantic and urgent passages, hinting at some sort of escape, it segues into Fade (Afterglow) that’s altogether more sparse and stark before leading into the gentle aftermath.

The two parts of From Within offer a percussive shift. They contrast with some resonantly deep and higher-pitched bowing, yet a more dramatic sway comes via From Above. Perhaps the most cinematic of the pieces, it again hints at chase and flight with an increasingly frenetic pace. For once, there’s a clean ending with no seamless easing into the next piece.

World’s Within is a perfect example of how a classical instrument can sway and hypnotise, cleverly attaching itself to conjuring up visions and images. Not only through the involvement with Leprous but World’s Within has opened up some doors to Raphael Weinroth-Browne’s work. Check out The Visit, Musk Ox and Kamancello.

Watch the official video for From Within from the album here:

Raphael Weinroth-Browne:  Bandcamp / Facebook / Twitter