Girl at the Rock Shows

I covered Soviet Films’ EP ‘Familiars’ back in March of 2021. I was struck by the power and creativity that came together to form something super beautiful. ‘Familiars’ is still one of my go-tos when I just need a moment to catch my breath so I was beyond excited when the band reached out to me about their new EP, ‘Four’. I know it has been some time since that first EP that I caught from this band but I have a feeling that, because they had such a strong sense of being Soviet Films in that first release, not much is going to change and I am stoked to dig into this quick four song release.

The EP kicks off “Blades & Feathers”. As soon as this song started, my heart fluttered (in a good way, not in the medical emergency way). The beginning of this track is light and airy but, before the first minute mark hits, they blast you with their signature wall of sound and energy. There’s something a bit more angsty and aggressive about this song when compared to the songs on ‘Familiars’ but that’s a good thing because it fit my mood in the moment so perfect. It’s anthemic rock with a sound that is truly arena-ready. It’s just so full, so loud, yet so constrained in all of the right ways at the same time. Layers of vocals on top of the dazzling instrumentation create a truly lush atmosphere. At nearly seven minutes long, this song would typically be one I listen to just briefly and then move on figuring I could tell what I was going to get from the rest of the track but that’s not the case with “Blades and Feathers”. The composition and overall vibe changes constantly in this opening track leaving you with a truly and epic opening track.

Soviet Films digs into the angst and aggression hinted towards in “Blades And Feathers” in the second track, “Tardigrades”. This song starts with a blistering vocal part that instantly had me hooked. Although there are moments of pure beauty in this track, it’s those moments of slight chaos and intensity that had me hooked. That being said, the way those parts butt up to moments of Soviet Films’ distinct lush vibe is absolutely genius. It’s a stark contrast between these two sounds creating a bit of a bipolar song but it also feels so organic and like it should just be this way. It’s brilliant. No other way to put it. This is another epic piece at six minutes and twenty five seconds but the rollercoaster ride that is “Tardigrades” makes it feel like this song is somehow too short.

The beginning of “Subirachs” gives you a minute to recover from the intensity that is “Tardigrades”. It’s almost as if the band knew you needed a minute to catch your break after listening to that trip and they come in with this third song as a bit of a peace offering in a way. Beautiful guitar work layers almost lull you into a zen state while the vocals offer a bit of a meditation. This song is airy, slow, withdrawn, thick, intentional, and beautiful. Even though I would say this is a much slower moving track the the two previous songs, there’s no lack of energy and, if you stick around to the three and a half minute mark, you get one of the most epic crescendos I’ve ever heard culminating into a wall of sound that will knock you on your butt.

“Super Bomber Man” closes out this four song EP and completely changes everything. Well, kind of. It starts off with a video game feeling electronic part which definitely caught me off guard but also made me smile. This electronic sound is quickly replaced by yet another stunning show of power and intensity from Soviet Films. I don’t know how many times I have used the word “epic” in this review already but I know it’s a lot and it’s not going to stop. This is another straight up epic track. There’s no other way to put it and no synonyms seem to do it justice. There’s a sense of speed and chaos in this track that seems to nod back to “Tardigrades” it’s not quite as blistering when it comes to the vocals. Instead, I feel like the guitars and drums really lead the sonic beating (I mean that as a good thing, I promise) that this song gives you. Don’t get me wrong, there are epically heavy vocal parts scattered throughout this nearly ten minute long track but the focus through the majority of this track for me seemed to be everything else in the band. This song leaves you with a secure sense of what Soviet Films is all about while still leaving a sense of intrigue on the table which, if you ask me, is the perfect way to end a release.

Soviet Films has and has not changed over the past couple of years. You could still play any song for me and I would be able to tell you it was them. They are so confident in their sound and vibe which is definitely warranted. Call it grunge-inspired-post-rock. Call it post-hardcore. Call it whatever you want. Soviet Films’ new release ‘Four’ demands to be listened to and will absolutely take your breath away.

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