Some splits are made because bands need to combine resources. Sometimes there is maybe not enough material for a full-length and to go out on their own with EP is price prohibitive. And then, regardless of how long or how short the release is, the halves are simply made for each other. Prophecy is giving a master class in the latter on Time Without End where they combine a pair of compositions from a Norwegian female multi-instrumentalist Sylvaine and one man Canadian band Unreqvited, from whom Prophecy just released another full-length. Unreqvited just continues to blow through barriers from black metal to something a lot more ambient, and the EP sees two musicians joining forces in the realm distinctly non-metal, yet no less profound.

For the EP both entities created music which can be called springy, sunlit and hopeful. Sylvaine leads off. No More Solitude may start with cold droplet piano notes, but more depth and lower register is quickly gained, and even though there is a bit of alarming tone here, like if the cold can come back, there is more confidence that spring will prevail, as full-bodied sweeps and piano polyphony unfold, and Sylvaine voice with a slight vibrato in it provides ultimate caress. Falling is not a Lacuna Coil cover, thankfully, and has even more strength in it with electroacoustic thick guitar lines sounding like cello. Falling has a hidden nervy pulse in it, like looking at the patient’s oscillogram. Falling it may be, yet it is up and down like feather bobbing in the wind.

Unreqvited portion ties up with Sylvaine in more ways than one, and she also contributed wordless singing lending her voice on Interwoven. The song is Alcest-like euphoria, with slightly detuned guitars providing glimpses of meadow, full of dew, with sun just getting out. As light percussion gathers strength, the day progresses from its dawn to noon, and it is now summer we are celebrating. Still feeling happy, jazzy percussion hits from the get go in Fields of Elysium, until a powerful all-encompassing crescendo arrives about 2.5’ in. There is real brightness and optimism in Fields of Elysium, with the composition’s finale rocketing off to a double bass. I only wish positive things like what Unreqvited projects here could be happening to me.

Sylvaine can be compared to Myrkur, but it is a lot more authentic. Unreqvited delivered something orchestral and natural at the same time. Time for me to dig up Wistful by Sylvaine, the album I missed 3 years ago, while not forgetting to check out the 2nd Mosaic installment from Unreqvited.