Oakland trio
Houses of Heaven is made up of former members of the Metropolis-signed band
Vaniish, which included members of an earlier group called
Veil Veil Vanish, who also released music on the same label. Both of those acts played dark, driving post-punk with shoegaze elements, sometimes resembling a more muscular version of
the Cure.
Houses of Heaven retains those influences but takes them in a much different direction. Synths and electronic beats play a much larger role here, edging the music closer to industrial and synth pop. The album was produced by
Matia Simovich of Dark Entries-affiliated minimal wave group
Inhalt, engineered by previous collaborator
Monte Vallier and
Tortoise's
John McEntire, and mastered by ambient artist
Rafael Anton Irisarri. All of the above help shape the sound of the album, which is densely layered and filled with hazy textures and dubby effects. The songs veer between different flavors of coldwave pop and dance music. "All Possible Obstacles Are Present" has an ominous, pounding beat that nearly sounds like a cross between darkwave and a more straightforward version of South Africa's gqom style. "A Place Between" is faster and woozier, metallic clanging as well as synths that wave uneasily, sometimes covered in a lovely deluge of guitar effects. "Time Apart" is closer to the
D.A.F. school of tough, stripped-down industrial wave, but with more atmospheric synths and guitars and dubby effects scattering the vocals. "In Soft Confusion" is simply a solid piece of riveting industrial gloom pop, just as "Channeling" hits the mark as a ghostly EBM tune. The songs aren't always filled with memorable hooks, but the album's production is never less than rich, inventive, and immersive, making
Silent Places a worthwhile listen for all fans of dark, sophisticated post-punk.