Losing a loved one is perhaps the most significant and poignant part of life’s journey. It reminds us of many things: to live life fully, appreciate the good, try not to dwell on the bad, and remind us of our own, final and inevitable destination. Many bands have poured such heartfelt sentiments into their songs. Few have done it with the power and the passion of Ceres.
What Ceres excell a is combining the heavy with the melodic. Many bands seem to think that only the former is necessary, that volume, overly ornate technical deliveries, the growl, and the grunt, are enough. What Ceres do is take some of those elements and give them context. They set them into a melodic and dynamic soundscape that encapsulates sky-searing crescendoes and brooding low-end lulls. The result is grace as well as groove, poignancy as well as power, dexterity as well as drive. Goodbye is heavy, sure, but it is accessible too.
And to create a personal connection with their fans and followers, they asked them to send in pictures of those they lost, and their pictures float through the video, nostalgic photographs from a visual book of condolences. As an act, it is binding and beautiful, reminding us that we all face such upheavals at some point in life. And that there is strength and support in numbers. There is always a shoulder to cry on, a friendly voice offering sympathy and advice.
As I said above, pouring thoughts of love and loss into a song is nothing new; it is perhaps the oldest reference point for music creation. So, in Goodbye, Ceres has created a piece that sits on the cutting edge of modern metal and yet echoes musical sentiments that have been with us since before the dawn of civilization.
