At the infancy of the “bedroom artist” movement, acts made up for their lack of production resources with fine-tuned songwriting – unsigned and on a budget, most end results had a diamond-in-the-rough element to them, hinting at what’s to come if given better tools and opportunities. Today, “bedroom artists” are not only well-educated but also proficient in sound design on a level that’s on par with established labels – which makes it even harder to stand out in a pool of endless talent coming out almost daily. However, Istanbul-based progressive rock quintet Siyah Tavsan (Black Rabbit) remain undeterred, delivering their most potent work yet. Metropolites, their second self-produced full-length album, is packed with infectious hooks, ethereal grooves, and introspective lyrics reflecting on personal trials and tribulations whilst serving as a quiet critique on the Turkish realities they come from.
Loosely read as a concept album, frontman Denizalp Simsek serenades about a man’s disillusionment with the world around him, and his yearning for change. Over the album’s tumultuous sonic course, the protagonist slowly comes to terms with the burdens he carries inside of him, and understands that in order to seek change outward, one must first reconcile with the war within themselves. This spiritual journey ties in perfectly with the album title itself which blends the modernity of big-city “metropolis” with the ancient Greek word “polites,” referring to citizens of free will – a play on words that hits too close to home amid the sociopolitical turmoil and discontent that ran rampant across Turkey in recent weeks. Regardless of their surroundings, the backbone of Metehan Aras on drums, Emre Can Tekinel on bass, and Yezdan Könes on guitar leads, perfectly link up together in an ambitious effort that blends the dystopian sounds of trip-hop and darkwave with the metallic syncopation of their very distinctive rock sound.
Paradoxically titled opener Son (The End) sets an industrious tone with booming electronics and glitch soundbites, before the Porcupine Tree-inspired Varolus Vergisi (Existence Tax) takes centre stage with 00s-style synth hooks and bass leads. Ben Robot Degilim (I Am Not a Robot) throws a surprising curveball with its anchored backdrop, lush guitar lines and wistful ad-libs carrying strong power-pop sensibilities. Yet, the introspective Sonsuz Sigar Mi? (Does Infinity Fit?) reverts to a more dramatic mood, both narratively and sonically – here, the band’s efficiency both in production and a keen ear for dissonant yet electrifying hooks is what makes the track stand out. Reverberating vocals, angular riffs and a heavy-handed percussive work makes this a potentially future live favourite.
Centre-piece Kiyamet Öncesi (Before the Apocalypse) follows suit with its tight-knit syncopated beat, carried by a restrained yet meticulously crafted arrangement. Intertwining dual guitar hooks, staccato bass leads, and Heritage-era Opeth-inspired vocal mantras add gravitas and resonance to the lyrics. Its angular ethos, punctuated by its emotional chorus, carries the track forward in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly new for any informed prog fan. Ucurum (Cliff) and interlude Cekic (Hammer) offer some of the most melodic but still rock-heavy moments on the project; both tracks built on piano leitmotifs and trip-hop stabs, reinforcing each song’s underlying urgency when the entire band kicks in.
Meanwhile, the titular track strips away the metallic heaviness in favour of a troubadour-laden “inverse ballad” – as the band carefully builds towards the bridge coda, Simsek is found wailing, rapping, and venting as the arrangement breaks into a frenzied climax, marrying modernity and tradition with accentuated zurna leads. Closer Giyotine Ask Sarkisi (Lovesong to the Guillotine) ramps up the intensity to its satisfying end with heavy guitars and soaring vocals erupting in its stop-start chorus.
While, for a predominately progressive band, the absence of solos and instrumental codas could come to their detriment, Siyah Tavsan delivers instead a succinct and fresh outlook of how they visualise progressive music to be. One could say this project also serves a powerful marker of where Turkish underground music is headed: globally aware, genre-fluid, and emotionally fearless. Where fans of Western post-punk and progressive rock will find familiar elements, Metropolites truly stands out for its distinct lens – a voice speaking from the overlooked alleys of Istanbul, but resonating far beyond.
7/10
Standout Tracks: Sonsuz Sigar Mi?, Kiyamet Öncesi, Giyotine Ask Sarkisi
For fans of: The Pineapple Thief, A Perfect Circle, Lesser Key
Written by: Dimitris Vasileias
