Glowing Darkness by Esben Willems

Esben Willems, best known for his heavy, driving drums in the doomy band, Monolord, has struck out with a solo album that’s all his own! This project was built by and for Esben; it is musically expressive and full of lyrical gold.

Glowing Darkness by Esben Willems,  released 3/29/24 on Majestic Mountain Records.

I didn’t know what to expect from this drummer gone rogue. Knowing his work in Monolord, and a couple other projects, I was prepared for slow, moody, climbing rhythms up a sludgy hillside. But that’s not what came through my JVC’s!

The opening track, Cabaret Street, is a mix of punk and a little ska, punctuated with joyful breakdowns that evoke images of Cony Island at night. The vocals are prominent, and the lyrics grab your hand and guide you onward. The repeated line of the chorus, “An ever-growing sorrow” gets you singing along. You just can’t help yourself.

From there, the next several songs get a little darker, a little heavier, and a lot spookier. In every song, the vocals are absolutely in charge. Dear Demon presents lyrics that are done in almost a readers theater style. Esben is clearly a storyteller. Carte Blanche hits with a heavy, marching chorus arranged in a delicious round, “That’s why we’re heading to the…”

Again, this makes you sing along. Most of the songs on this 9-track album share that trait in the chorus. You know that feeling you got when were a kid singing a round with your friends at camp? It is so fun and you never want it to stop! That’s what is happening here, but with much darker words and way cooler riffs.

Esben gives us a little gift in the song, Slow Rain. Opening with soft and sad tremolo guitar, this one is truly vocal forward, almost spoken word at first. Singing deep, maybe too deep, growling into an edgy and satisfying chorus, he commands your attention. I had to put it on repeat. “Oh, leaves are today!” comes out in a cry that carries us into an anthem. I call this one precious.

The next few songs just add to the darkness mentioned in the album name. But that is dramatically interrupted by the song, Fortune Teller. Suddenly, I’m watching an episode of Scrubs, feeling all the love and longing of a will they/won’t they scenario unfolding into, “I know we will”. With lighthearted guitar, tambourine, and adorable vocals, it brings you summertime! This one is going on a back yard BBQ playlist.

The final song, Across the Everything, brings us back some of that marching. It’s a little angry…driving…running. The bass gets real on this one and backs up a hammering circular guitar progression. Its chorus is again engaging and repetitive, inviting the listener to join in. This one is a banger, guys. I could see it as an amazing soundtrack selection for an epic scene of a return arch nemesis!

            Three things stood out to me after listening to this collection a few times.

1. Esben has created an audible nighttime carnival tour, complete with creepy clowns, dazzling oddities, and a few sweet treats.

2. The man can tell a story! Each song offers something to ponder. I kind want him to write a novella now.

3. He understands the art of writing chorus’ that lift people up and make them want to sing. Even with the macabre themes and dark words, they feel anthemic and almost worshipful at times.

Esben surprised the cuss out of me with this project. I don’t know if it’s Doom, but it has Doom elements. It is festival theater and music hall splendor. I am extremely interested to see what others think of this unique collection of audio short stories.

-Jipsy

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