Katre is a Turkish band which explores the areas of post-rock / post-metal synthesized with classic eastern tunes and experiments on the sustain of the sound. However, the distinguishing aspect of their musical approach lies in the subtle integration of the eastern tunes in Post-Metal, without being overly an “oriental” band.
Katre travels among the post-rock / post-metal waves and the band has recorded a great debut album. Encounters is a concept album and focuses on the subject of existence. By applying the ebow on electric and fretless guitars, KATRE sustains the sound, and in doing so they combine the techniques of the western and the eastern culture, in which they grew up. Inspired by the stages that span conception and birth, to growth and self-awareness, the album explores these ideas through the two chapters, Existing and Existence.
The title of the album invokes Ercan Kesal’s (an award-winning Turkish actor, author and screenwriter) expression “the unrelated details give our lives a meaning” and the songs an extension of Erkan Oğur’s (A worldwide recognized musician, who invented the first fretless classical guitar as well as a number of other instruments) statement “I cannot compose humoresques. Regardless of what I carry out, the result is only about the melancholy of being. We cannot cheer you up, but only help you be.” It is very important to mention that Erkan Oğur honored Katre by playing fretless guitars and additional ebows as a special guest in the album’s opening track.
Each song in Encounters has a story behind it. In the following, the album’s concept is detailed by analyzing the songs step by step.