Review by Saxy S for Unreqvited - Beautiful Ghosts (2021)

I’m not sure if the current political climate has anything to do with this, but something about the new Unreqvited album, Beautiful Ghosts is so hauntingly relatable, which may seem odd since Unreqvited don’t have any lyrics to their music at all! For those unaware, Unreqvited are an Ottawa based blackgaze band and have been steadily releasing music for the last five years. In fact, I quickly reviewed one of the group's 2020 albums, entitled Empathica and I found it quite enjoyable. But to say that this new record is a significant change in the sound would be a stretch.

In fact, I do not think that this album has all that much that distinguishes it from the last album. Beautiful Ghosts has a simple timbre with heavy tremolo rhythm guitar, a warm bass tone and the occasional black metal howl. The percussion on this record is impressive when it has to be, however most of the fundamentals are quite straightforward, allowing the string arrangements to take center stage. I will say that the symphonic elements are implemented more effectively this time around; the string arrangements on “Autumn & Everley” and “Funeral Pyre” are breathtaking, and the way this album ends with “All is Found”, with its gradual swelling, but never fully realizing its black metal timbre is really special.

For an artist that treats the vocals as an instrument rather than as a type of musical expression, it will become difficult for one to find objective meaning within the music. But for those who are willing to take the journey and find their own meaning, it can be a rewarding experience. I mentioned off the top that the current political climate influenced my journey, as this album sounds absolutely gorgeous! It is almost as if Unreqvited knows how our world is almost constantly at a point of disaster, and uses these sounds to remind us of the sheer beauty that still exists, however fading that may seem. And their music serves as a temporary escape from the everyday routine. And the black metal howls serve as the subtle reminders of that less than perfect world we have to return to once the album has finished. It’s an album that wants to take on the next challenge without hesitation, but the screams tell us something completely different.

This album review does feel a little bit more personal than many others, but it becomes almost necessary to create meaning out of something when it is not explained to you at the start. And Unreqvited brought that out of me in a big way with Beautiful Ghosts. It probably will not maintain its staying power, but it is a marvelous record and one worth exploring yourself.