Rannoch

Rannoch are a Birmingham, United Kingdom-based progressive death metal band active since 2004. The group is a quartet and takes a British approach to the style, combining technical precision and heavy, fast material with cleaner vocal passages and acoustic guitar sections.

Sound and influences

The band’s music blends extreme metal with more atmospheric and melodic elements. Their recordings use ethereal clean vocals alongside harsh screaming, and their lyrics draw on sombre literary influences, including writers such as Lynch and Danielewski. Their sound also reflects influences from Ihsahn, Opeth and Depeche Mode.

Early releases and live activity

Founding member Ian Gillings leads the band’s direction. Early ideas develop into the Rorschach demo, which establishes the contrast between melody and aggression that remains central to their work. Their self-produced debut EP, Talamh Màthair, follows in 2008 and receives a strong response in the metal press. That release also leads to live shows and to the band winning the West Midlands finals of Bloodstock Open Air Festival’s New Blood Stage competition.

Festivals and later work

Rannoch appear at Bloodstock Open Air Festival in 2011, sharing a bill with Morbid Angel, Immortal and Motörhead. At the festival they perform on the New Blood Stage and also play an unplugged set on the Jagermeister stage. Their full-length album Between Two Worlds uses the full range of their twin eight-string guitars, drums and bass, and is self-engineered. It is recorded at a studio co-run with fellow Midlands death metallers Hærken, with mixing and mastering by James Stephenson of Stymphalian Productions.

Collaborations and label

Between Two Worlds is presented with an A/B-side structure and includes guest vocals from Laird Logan of Hærken and Hal Sinden of talanas. The album is released through Eulogy Media, the British alternative label that also issues releases by talanas, Dãm and Beth Ryan.