March 27, 2013
Dark, moody and wide in scope, the new album from local rockers Juna calls to mind the work of artists like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Explosions in the Sky. But there is a heaviness at play, too, something vaguely black metal about the trebly guitars, the suffocating production. These elements feel somewhat odd on a record ostensibly cut from the post-rock cloth.
Juna: Heteroglossia
Independent Release
But make no mistake, Heteroglossia is expansive. Bassist and vocalist Hunter Whitehead leads the band, which features drummer Sasha Schilbrack (who also plays with post-hardcore standouts Nurture, a superior group) through various musical workouts, and though his operatic singing manner is off-putting at first, by record's end, it makes some sense.
Aside from a general sense of moodiness, there's little continuity on Heteroglossia, which veers from post-rock to metal to screamo—the record seems the sound of a band finding its place. But if nothing else, it's proof that our often insular local music community continues to branch out in unexpected, and exciting, ways.
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