Ayr - Nothing Left To Give

Written by Majbritt Levinsen.


What is this? I’ve been in a musical vacuum for a really long time, nothing has moved me, nothing has set me on fire, nothing has impressed me. And then Max sends me a link to this... It’s sad, melancholic, dark, rough and just so uplifting wonderful!

Ayr, formed in 2009 in North Carolina, has according to The Metal Archives been on hold since 2011. Luckily according to their Facebook page new music is brewing, and none is more happy than I! The core of the band features members of the blackened crust/hardcore band Young and in the Way: Rick Contes - guitar, vocals and Randy Baucom - drums. Young and in the Way is however not my kind of music, but Ayr definitely is.

The opening track "Thirst" starts out with a screeching sound, but quickly manifests itself as a massive revelation that draws you in into its atmosphere and beauty. The songs are vulnerable, full of despair and loneliness, but also fast and furious, determined, on the path to death. The vocals consists of raw anguished yells that indulges a hard to shake off feeling, together with the musical ambiance. You feel it even though you might not hear the lyrics.

I like when I get goosebump moments and "Starvation" had just such a moment for me - when nothing but the guitar is left to carry the track, and the rest of the band picks up again and finishes it off in the most fierce and brilliant way. The structure appeals to me; it might be my favorite track from this EP.

The instrumental "Hallucination" slows down to a shoegaze tempo, with great ambiance. It has an overall feeling of an otherworldly loneliness. The track is fluid like calm waves hitting the shore.

The final track "Expiration" offers new goosebump moments; it starts out slow, desperately dragging itself along, picking up the pace, getting lighter as it progresses. The track lets go of the darkness somehow in the end. But even though it is more than 7 minutes long, it is way too short! It feels cut off. I’m expecting more after it has fallen into silence and I’m thinking - "Is that all?"

My bones are buried
Last breath is carried
Dark light, where I did live
I have nothing more to give

Together "Thirst", "Hallucination", "Starvation" and "Expiration" gives us a glimpse into the process of dying until there is nothing left to give; I really hope Ayr has more to give.

[Go to the post to view the Bandcamp player]