Between everywhere and here

Fermium - "Between Nothing and Always"
Label: Through Love Rec.

 

I remember not liking FERMIUM out of Hamburg, Germany very much at the beginning. Or... let's put it that way, I didn't care much for them. It was with the video for "There was a Light" where they sparked my interest. I then decided to check out their debut album and while thinking it was solid, I was nowhere near overwhelmed. Yet, something was there.

Over the course of 6 songs and 26 minutes the three-piece touches multiple genres. You could throw around categorizations like Blackened Hardcore, Post-Hardcore, Post-Metal, Sludge, Doom, Noise-Rock or simply put, Hardcore. They also drift into short Noise-/Drone-sections every once in a while, just to add another flavor. My categorizations might suggest that they're somehow all over the place, but it's really the other way around. They sound extremely tight, coherent and consistent. With all those bits of different genres, FERMIUM weave a sound of their own. On top, "Between Nothing and Always" is that kind of album, that feels obscure and difficult at first glance, but becomes more catchy with every new spin. The melodies may be hidden underneath at times, but believe me, they'll have their impact sooner or later. 

Overall, FERMIUM's new record is a nice mix between destructive, groovy, rhythmic, melodic, moody and complex. I'm positively surprised how well this seemingly crude genre-cocktail flows and how good "Between Nothing and Always" turned out to be. 

Give it a chance if you need a breath of fresh air in your smelly HC-bubble...

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