Review
Orphanage Named Earth
Benefit for Sibir EP (feat. Gosia)

Loads of venues are struggling to keep existing. Not being able to host shows is hurting them big time. A good thing bands like Orphanage Named Earth are stepping up for one such venue. Sibiř a cultural center in Brno, Czech Republic, which they know as they played there in 2018. Sibiř has hosted many DIY bands from all over Europe and is a local antifascist, animal and earth liberation info point as well. They are struggling to maintain themselves in covid times, hence the support the band is giving them.

However nice this is, I am not here to chat about charities, but about music, so let’s shift focus to that. Regular visitors of this site will remember my reviews of Orphanage Named Earth's two full-length albums, which were received positive by me. Especially second album Saudade, where the band had fixed most issues I had with their debut album. Orphanage Named Earth plays what they call romantic crust or what I described as post-metal with some crust influences. This description remains true. One big change is the presence of Gosia. This is a most welcome change. Her presence makes for an even more dynamic approach. Her voice fits this music like a glove and her interplay with Orphanage Named Earth's singer brings a sort of beauty and the beast dynamics to the music (although she shows she is capable of bringing that rough edge herself too).

However positive this may sound, things start off on the wrong foot. That is due to bad writing on first track “One Tribe”. For a bands operating in this style flow in a song (and during a whole album) should be a main focus. And that is exactly what is missing in this song. It sounds like the band had some ideas left and just glued them together. Especially the opening is guilty of this. We start of with tribal drums over which the lyrics are yelled. The second-rate Soulfly vibe this gives does not fit the band at all, but that is a whole different story. After 30 seconds, the drums are gone. Instead there’s a subtle guitar line and Gosia is introduced. The change takes place again 30 seconds later. Another 30 seconds the roles change again. It just doesn’t work. At all. It's just one thing that stops and another that starts. The rest of the song is better, but the first two minutes leave such a foul taste in the mouth, this song cannot be rescued.

But then we have “Fire In My Heart”. This is completely different story altogether. This is how this cooperation should work! This song has flow and plays into the strengths of both Orphanage Named Earth and Gosia. This song is almost twice the length of the A-side of this EP (can I call it that, given it’s a digital release?). The thing is that it feels like it is the shorter song on the EP. Had they written two songs like this, this would have been the best EP I had heard in 2020. Unfortunately “One Tribe” drags it down.

I do hope these artists will continue their collaboration, perhaps on the third Orphanage Named Earth album? “Fire In My Heart” is such a cool song, I would love to hear a few more songs in this vain.