Mike Hill's sonic travels into darkness find this band continuing to embrace further into darkness. There are fewer black metal moments, making the music carry more of a death metal aggression. Each album is a little different take on the bleak sounds they use, an aggressive barrage of powerful chug to convey. His vocal approach is less of a growl and amd more deliberate articulation of disdain. I would say at times this album feels like it has more in common with "Domination" era Morbid Angel than it does Mayhem or Darkthrone. The double bass-powered drums add to the ominous momentum being built. "Granite Sky" has very deliberate riffing. The buzz around this album was that they were fully coming to a more death rock, goth approach, which I am not hearing, but it's only three songs into things.
They are not singing this corrosion to me yet on "The Sun Sets," but you can hear how they might go in that direction as the more death rock moan replaces the bellow that normally marks their sound. Not the first time this sort of thing has crept into what they do, it is just not bookended by a blackened crunch. I like how the different elements are balanced. The harrowing guitar riffs to this one keep things throbbing with an aching tension. The more black metal elements to stirred to life for "Last Days," which rings out with a great deal of chaos before locking into a galloping stomp. They venture to a desolate place by the end of the song. They can always prove that darkness is just as heavy as any metal riff.
"The Wintering" hits with a sludge-ridden riff, as heavily effected vocals provide a sardonic narrative, that keeps the oppressive feel flowing. It dips into a more depressive, doomy feel. "Black Shapes" is another return to black metal, though this time with a more punk edge. Then they ride a spectral line toward a nightmarish blend of black metal and goth on "Darklands". "Wasps" has a churning death flood of double bass with creepy vocals calling out into this raging storm of guitar. They are aggressive without always reverting to harsher tones. The churn of the main riff is more death metal. This album is one of their heaviest, and while it is different, it is consistent with what they do, a logical step from where they have gone in the past to releases. It will take a few listens for it to sink in with me, but I like where they are going and the differing vocal colors is a move in the right direction. I will give this a 9.5. This drops on October 17th on Redefining Darkness
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