I can remember exactly where I was when I first heard Oyarsa. I was driving through rural Arkansas on my way to an academic conference listening to an algorithmically generated 'For You' playlist when the band's debut single, "Lament," came on. It was instantly captivating. Aggressive, raw - yet expertly written and performed - and lyrically poignant, it sounded like a near perfect blend of shoegaze-y post-hardcore in the vein of early My Epic, Everything In Slow Motion, or Vheissu-era Thrice, combined with modern secular post-metal acts like Cult of Luna or Holy Fawn. With such a developed and precise sound sticking out among a crowded genre, it is no surprise that while the band is a new entity, the members have been involved with other projects (notably Joe McElroy formerly of Comrades and Noah Sheaffer of Eaves). Over a year passed between releasing that initial single and the sudden drop of the band's debut EP.

While such gaps between releases often result from waiting on recording logistics to align rather than indicating distance between the actual writing of songs, it is still nerve-racking going into the first major release from a band with only a single previously released song, no matter how outstanding that first track was. I am happy to report that not only does Oyarsa meet the standard indicated by their first single, but also elevate it even higher. Lost in Familiar Places takes the impressive form initiated by "Lament" and stretches and evolves it over all four of the EP's songs. Most impressively, every song feels tight and optimized despite all four tracks running for over five minutes and often relying on extended instrumental builds common to the genre. The production also deserves recognition for delivering a mix that is crushingly massive and crystal clear, while still maintaining a very organic feel.

The EP begins with "Lament (redux)," a minorly reworked and rerecorded version of their debut single which polishes a few backing layers and applies a crisper production standard. It functions perfectly to draw listeners in, starting with a slowly building - almost triumphant - guitar passage that suddenly shifts to a much darker melody. From there, all the instrumentation drops out, save for some ominous ambient guitar as the vocals come in. The song slowly builds and evolves through multiple different dynamics as the lyrics solemnly examine how the brokenness and fallenness of the world affects even those in the church, and how too often we ignore external suffering. Throughout this song and the other three, clear musical moments emerge that directly recall past work of both Comrades - in the more technical guitar passages - and Eaves - in the progressive and dynamic song structures. "Dawning" follows, combining perhaps the album's most memorable heavy riffs alongside shoegaze verses while using imagery from C.S. Lewis' Till We Have Faces to describe the almost painful waiting that characterizes much of human existence. Third track "Ego Death" almost feels like a modern evolution of the sound developed on Hands' Give Me Rest from a quiet beginning to a massive and extended climactic moment as it uses allusions to various Scriptural moments which state how even rocks and trees can bear witness to both present conditions and God's glory. "Solar Flare" closes out the EP in remarkable fashion. It's by the far the most personal and optimistic track on the album, but it calls back to the longing illustrated elsewhere in a way that both underlines the weight and importance of not losing sight of present suffering while also recognizing and embracing hope. Given the intensity and dynamics of the other three tracks, it smartly chooses a different musical path as well through a more straight forward (but still aggressive) alternative rock track that subtly builds to a perfect conclusion for the album.

Oyarsa's debut release checks every possible box a band could want this early in their career. Despite clearly bearing influences from the members' other or previous projects, it never feels forced to either mirror or reject those sounds. It musically stands up favorably against even the giants of the genre, while introducing a refreshingly unique musical twist. There is even a nod - whether incidental or intentional - towards the tendency of similar post-hardcore bands to be highly literary in their lyrical references, here demonstrated by the previously noted reference to Scriptural passages, Till We Have Faces, plus a reference in "Lament (redux)" to the television series Twin Peaks, and even in the band's name which alludes to Lewis' Space Trilogy. These references together form an interesting mesh for the EP, as each referenced source tells a story of wrestling, or submission, between nature and the spiritual/Divine. In the context of a release dealing directly with weighty spiritual themes, such lyrical care and depth is a helpful encouragement to listeners to dig even beyond what is directly presented. When combined with a powerful and compelling musical package that should keep fans returning frequently, it's a combination that's hard to top.

- Review date: 11/4/23, written by Kevin McGuire of Jesusfreakhideout.com

Record Label: None
Album length: 4 tracks: 22 minutes, 21 seconds
Street Date: October 10, 2023
Buy It: Amazon Music
Buy It: Bandcamp

1. Lament (redux) (5:06)
2. Dawning (5:13)
3. Ego Death (6:22)
4. Solar Flare (5:39)