Moonlight

The latest album from Poland’s Moonlight takes a little getting used to. Pushing the metal foundation of the band’s earlier material to the fringes, Audio 136 makes heaviness more decorative than integral. Whether conscious decision or simply the side-effect of a much lighter approach, the talents of vocalist Maja Konarska lie at the forefront even more than in the past, thick distorted guitars coming in merely to accent her intricate melodies. Jazzy riffs and more complicated rhythms give Audio 136 a definite prog feel compared to Moonlight’s earlier material. It has some extremely haunting moments as well, mostly on the strength of eerie keyboard interludes and Konarska’s voice, especially intro (and reprise) "Rosemary’s Baby,” but other songs, like "Kontakt,” pursue a lounge-y, low-key direction instead. Audio 136 definitely isn’t something you’d rock out to, but it has a subtle and laid-back charm.