Sgàile is a one-man project from Scotland that was formed in 2018. Tony Dunn, the mastermind behind Sgàile, which means “shadow” in Scottish Gaelic, has played with bands like Saor, Falloch, and Cnoc An Turs. In 2021, he released his debut album, “Ideals & Morality”. Three years later, he returns with his new full-length work, which contains seven songs and lasts around 63 minutes. “Traverse the Bealach”, which means “cross the pass” in Scottish Gaelic, tells the tale of a lone soul who wanders in post-apocalyptic Scotland. He has no destination, but he has a restless spirit. He is searching for his destiny and has to face the elements on his way north while facing his inner demons along the way. The album was inspired by the crazy times we live in, the fight to save the planet, and the love of hiking in nature.
Musically, Tony blends atmospheric metal, sludge metal, post-metal, post-rock, and prog rock/metal with some dark & black metal touches. I’d like to call this kind of music simply atmospheric metal. The esoteric need for a soul quest comes with each spin. The instrumentation is rich and diverse, featuring guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, and various ambient sounds. Tony’s vocals are clean and natural… at times, they remind me of the late Quorthon (Thomas Börje Forsberg). The production is clear, tight, and full. It also has a raw and organic feel. The album was recorded at Shade Studios, Glasgow, Scotland, and produced, mixed, and mastered by Mike Lamb (Sojourner, Lysitheam Light Field Reverie) at Ghost Bird Studios, Düren, Germany.
The album is cohesive, diverse, dynamic, heavy, and dark, yet also melodic and atmospheric. It is also complex and challenging at the same time, without becoming tiresome at any point. Dunn confidently experiments with various styles and moods, reflecting his willingness to push his musical boundaries even further. The six songs are long and require repeated listens to get into them. “Introspect” is a 2-minute atmospheric interlude that splits the album in half. There are no bad songs here… only musical parts that will touch the listener more or less. And that depends on how much time you spend listening to it. I tell ya this is not your average easy-going album. That’s why you won’t find many reviews about it on the web.
“Traverse the Bealach” is a captivating concept album that features amazing atmospheric parts alongside some challenging ones. It is definitely worth a go, especially if you fancy atmospheric soundscapes with prog and post-metal aesthetics.
