"Bifurcate" is a word that means to divide into two branches or forks, like a river splitting and flowing in different directions. Separation is a theme that resonates with New Jersey prog artist Nat Rusciani, who experienced the dissolution of her band shortly before starting The War Yaks with co-writer and saxophonist Anthon Warga. During the recording of the group's debut album Bifurcate, she also experienced the end of her marriage. Bifurcate is rich with whimsical visions and emotional expressions of loss, sorrow, and confusion. Guitarist Esteban Mercado, bassist Jesse Shaw, and flautist Kristina Bacich complete this curious group from the Garden State.
The songs on Bifurcate are anything but straightforward, instead offering a complex and immersive listening experience ranging from the fast-paced and frenetic, like the twisted "Train," which barrels forward with reckless acid-jazz energy, to more subdued pieces like "The Lengths," where electronic percussion and cabaret-style keyboards give Rusciani space to deliver raw, demonstrative vocals ("How dare you? How do you sleep at night?"). The opening track, "Codriver", is a stylish and musical jaunt that features pummeling drums amidst its dramatic flair. True to the album’s name, many songs transform as they progress, often taking unexpected and challenging turns, like the phantasmagorical "Shroom Song," where manic arrangements and spacey synths blend with metal riffs and mischievous flutes, creating an experience as transportive as its title suggests.
"Footprints", the lead single, is a standout track. Here, Rusciani reins in her more fanciful tendencies without losing the power of her oscillating melodies. The well-crafted guitar and sax lines hint at math rock influences, and the track exemplifies the album’s dense, layered nature. This density, however, sometimes leads to moments that feel overly ambitious or confusing. "Regression to the Mean" is an elaborate exploration of emotional growth, but its crowded harmonies and jarring vocal meters occasionally left me wondering if another song had started playing in the background. Bifurcate closes with its title track, a Homeric epic full of peaks and troughs that brings the album to a satisfying climax. Rusciani’s vocals reach glass-shattering heights, while new-age passages weave in and out of heavy metal landscapes.
Bifurcate by The War Yaks is a debut filled with ideas, musical stealth, and harmonic richness. The album’s progressive, metal-leaning sound demands an open mind and experienced ears, but it rewards listeners with lush woodwinds, electrifying guitar, and idiosyncratic vocal performances. What’s most impressive is how The War Yaks find harmony amid the fractures of life.
★★★★