Western New York has been waiting a little over two years for Sertraline‘s follow-up to 2017’s Shade. The band is a post black metal outfit with depressive tendencies, closely knitting together the writing habits of Wolves in the Throne Room and Katatonia. While Sertraline have considerably more influences present in their music than the aforementioned, it’s important to keep this narrative as focused as possible. These six individuals have been trudging through Buffalo’s smaller scaled art spaces, alleyways and bar venues, to bring a very specific crowd of people the sound they crave. Sertraline are chiefly known for carrying former members of Where She Wept: a longtime Gothic metal band out of Buffalo; one of the longest running unsigned acts in the history of the local scene to be exact. That being said, the people at the core of Sertraline’s writing formula have no “quit” in them whatsoever.
The new EP, From Both Our Hands, just released today, is a testament to this fact. In the wake of purebred black metal bands like Hubris, Western New York has since been blessed with an abundance of post/atmospheric black metal, through bands like, Enthauptung, Mavradoxa and of course, Sertraline. It’s a very specific sound, casting a very specific mood. Feelings of dread, loss, depression and utter sadness fill these songs. The vocals, riffs and drum selections are all carefully calibrated to bring forth this darker emotional spectrum without fail. Imagine a steady, dismal rainfall with no sign of a letup. From Both Our Hands paints grey skies, murky waters and withering autumnal trees on an otherwise blank canvas. There’s truly no other way to feel about this music. If you’re into rainbows, unicorns and bunny rabbits, Sertraline is not for you.
The new EP has only three songs, but it clocks in at almost twenty minutes in length all together. Our advice is to give yourself a full, uninterrupted twenty minutes to take in this music. Sit back, put your feet up, and close your eyes for the duration for maximum effect.
Enjoy, if you will, our favorite song on the new EP: “The Knowledge of Trees” —
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