“You know nothing stays the same.” The sentiment, crooned in the chorus of “The Dark Age”, is somewhat indicative the message of Widowspeak’s most recent album. Through mix of ’70s rock rhythms and a certain futuristic quality of the sound, Almanac captures elements of the past while also giving listeners a glimpse of the future. It’s a dark, smoky, and at times an oddly optimistic piece of modern rock.
Overall, the sound of the album is bolder than the group’s first, which is clear in the unfolding of “The Dark Age”. In it we hear a darker, more powerful sound than that of the slightly softer rock sound of Widowspeak’s previous work. The song starts out with a clear and strong guitar riff, which is gradually builds and is accentuated in its contrast with the murmur of Molly Hamilton’s whispering vocals. Considering the lyrics, the resulting sound is delectably melancholic. “Keep me here in the dark age / holding with me, on me / I’ll stay if you tell me to.” It’s looking back, it’s remembering, it’s a few steps past the points of still being angry, and gradually, it begins to look forward.