#bloodharvestrecords — Public Fediverse posts

Phenocryst – Cremation Pyre Review

By Steel Druhm

Written by: Nameless_N00b_89

From the land that birthed such metal heavies as Gaerea and Analepsy, death/doom newcomers Phenocryst erupted across the burgeoning Portuguese metal scene with 2021’s Explosions EP. And now they prepare to unleash their debut full-length Cremation Pyre on mankind. Sporting a sufficiently oozy band logo, a now revamped line-up, and a unique concept mainly dealing with themes of volcanology, Phenocryst further distance themselves from the maddening meat ‘n’ taters crowd by incorporating psychedelic elements into their sound. My cursory research revealed that phenocryst is a volcanological term representing a large crystal formation often found in magmatic rocks. The more I researched, the more I bought into the concept, agreeing that volcanoes rock. The question I have about Phenocryst is, do they? Erupticus, Deathicus, Doomicus.

Let me clarify: this is not melodic death metal. This is death metal with psychedelic, nay, I say melodic elements sprinkled throughout like so much Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt. If it’s warp speeds, blast beats, and tech guitar virtuosity you’re looking for, look elsewhere. Trading tank treads and battle swords for ‘a‘ā1 lava flows and pyroclastic snows, Phenocryst channels 90’s era Bolt Thrower (“Pinnacle of Death” and “Pyres of the Altar”) with devastating effect. Guitarists D.S. and Santana (no, not that one) converge to riff a path over igneous environs with cudgel-like brutality (“Astonishing Devastation”) and doomy, sludge-filled slides (“Embers of an Ancient Fire”) that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Crowbar platter. Phenocryst had me banging my head and breaking out my best stank face. They aren’t here to make friends. They’re here to liquefy humanity under a sulfurous, rock-filled river of molten death metal lava.

The skeletal frame to which all this guitar muscle clings is the fundamental backbone and source of Phenocryst’s power. Drummer Artur, who joined Santana in 2022, and bassist V.M. expertly anchor all the performances on Cremation Pyre with ferocity and brute strength. V.M.’s bass work, distinctly audible throughout, plucks and plops (“Pinnacle of Death”) and gurgles and glops (“Astonishing Devastation” and “Pyres of the Altar”) like magma pooling under the earth’s surface. I imagine Jo Bench sitting in some English pub right now, smiling. Artur’s massive yet workmanlike performance behind the kit never once risks letting things get out of control, balancing perfectly between power and restraint. D.S., who handles all vocals, must have graduated magna cum laude from Death Vox University, with a major in Karl Willets growls (“Pinnacle of Death” and “Volcanic Winter”), and a minor in Martin Van Drunen’s rasps (“Astonishing Devastation”). His ferocity, though unvaried, ties the entire package together, placing Phenocryst firmly on Portugal’s metal map.

With Cremation Pyre, Phenocryst has improved in almost every category from Explosions. Even the album cover, a beautifully rendered oil painting by James Campbell is more engaging than the monochrome cover of the EP. Fernando Matias’ work from the booth propels the band to achieve its gargantuan sound. Where Explosions was claustrophobic, muddy, and cavernous sounding, Cremation Pyre’s dynamic master allows each instrument to occupy its own space while simultaneously combining to form a vibrant, warm-sounding whole. Small as it may be, the album is not without faults. At 39 minutes, Cremation Pyre suffers not from bloat but misplaced interludes. The awkward addition of the outro on “Astonishing Devastation” confuses and confirms the bit would have been better excised. More egregiously, the album might have ended spectacularly with the rumbling, eruptive outro of “Fogo Nas Entranhas.”2 But, the two-minute atmospheric “Burial Swamps” fades in and then out again, negating what could have been Cremation Pyre’s triumphant conclusion.

My n00b crown weighs heavy as I wrestle with scoring Cremation Pyre. Preparing this first foray into the fray, I realized at one point I’d stopped listening to form a critique and started listening from enjoyment.3 I’d hoped my first assignment would be something I could comfortably pan, but Cremation Pyre is not that, and it’s hard for me to attach too many demerits to its few missteps. It’s a powerfully heavy debut that demands serious attention, and I urge you to check it out. One day, if I somehow survive the gauntlet and ascend to the rank of staff, I’ll reflect on this review and decide if I am right.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Blood Harvest Records | Bandcamp
Websites: phenocryst.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/phenocryst
Releases Worldwide: August 30th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Analepsy #Aug24 #BloodHarvestRecords #BoltThrower #CremationPyre #Crowbar #DeathMetal #Gaera #Phenocryst #PortugueseMetal #Review #Reviews

Phenocryst – Cremation Pyre Review

By Steel Druhm

Written by: Nameless_N00b_89

From the land that birthed such metal heavies as Gaerea and Analepsy, death/doom newcomers Phenocryst erupted across the burgeoning Portuguese metal scene with 2021’s Explosions EP. And now they prepare to unleash their debut full-length Cremation Pyre on mankind. Sporting a sufficiently oozy band logo, a now revamped line-up, and a unique concept mainly dealing with themes of volcanology, Phenocryst further distance themselves from the maddening meat ‘n’ taters crowd by incorporating psychedelic elements into their sound. My cursory research revealed that phenocryst is a volcanological term representing a large crystal formation often found in magmatic rocks. The more I researched, the more I bought into the concept, agreeing that volcanoes rock. The question I have about Phenocryst is, do they? Erupticus, Deathicus, Doomicus.

Let me clarify: this is not melodic death metal. This is death metal with psychedelic, nay, I say melodic elements sprinkled throughout like so much Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt. If it’s warp speeds, blast beats, and tech guitar virtuosity you’re looking for, look elsewhere. Trading tank treads and battle swords for ‘a‘ā1 lava flows and pyroclastic snows, Phenocryst channels 90’s era Bolt Thrower (“Pinnacle of Death” and “Pyres of the Altar”) with devastating effect. Guitarists D.S. and Santana (no, not that one) converge to riff a path over igneous environs with cudgel-like brutality (“Astonishing Devastation”) and doomy, sludge-filled slides (“Embers of an Ancient Fire”) that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Crowbar platter. Phenocryst had me banging my head and breaking out my best stank face. They aren’t here to make friends. They’re here to liquefy humanity under a sulfurous, rock-filled river of molten death metal lava.

The skeletal frame to which all this guitar muscle clings is the fundamental backbone and source of Phenocryst’s power. Drummer Artur, who joined Santana in 2022, and bassist V.M. expertly anchor all the performances on Cremation Pyre with ferocity and brute strength. V.M.’s bass work, distinctly audible throughout, plucks and plops (“Pinnacle of Death”) and gurgles and glops (“Astonishing Devastation” and “Pyres of the Altar”) like magma pooling under the earth’s surface. I imagine Jo Bench sitting in some English pub right now, smiling. Artur’s massive yet workmanlike performance behind the kit never once risks letting things get out of control, balancing perfectly between power and restraint. D.S., who handles all vocals, must have graduated magna cum laude from Death Vox University, with a major in Karl Willets growls (“Pinnacle of Death” and “Volcanic Winter”), and a minor in Martin Van Drunen’s rasps (“Astonishing Devastation”). His ferocity, though unvaried, ties the entire package together, placing Phenocryst firmly on Portugal’s metal map.

With Cremation Pyre, Phenocryst has improved in almost every category from Explosions. Even the album cover, a beautifully rendered oil painting by James Campbell is more engaging than the monochrome cover of the EP. Fernando Matias’ work from the booth propels the band to achieve its gargantuan sound. Where Explosions was claustrophobic, muddy, and cavernous sounding, Cremation Pyre’s dynamic master allows each instrument to occupy its own space while simultaneously combining to form a vibrant, warm-sounding whole. Small as it may be, the album is not without faults. At 39 minutes, Cremation Pyre suffers not from bloat but misplaced interludes. The awkward addition of the outro on “Astonishing Devastation” confuses and confirms the bit would have been better excised. More egregiously, the album might have ended spectacularly with the rumbling, eruptive outro of “Fogo Nas Entranhas.”2 But, the two-minute atmospheric “Burial Swamps” fades in and then out again, negating what could have been Cremation Pyre’s triumphant conclusion.

My n00b crown weighs heavy as I wrestle with scoring Cremation Pyre. Preparing this first foray into the fray, I realized at one point I’d stopped listening to form a critique and started listening from enjoyment.3 I’d hoped my first assignment would be something I could comfortably pan, but Cremation Pyre is not that, and it’s hard for me to attach too many demerits to its few missteps. It’s a powerfully heavy debut that demands serious attention, and I urge you to check it out. One day, if I somehow survive the gauntlet and ascend to the rank of staff, I’ll reflect on this review and decide if I am right.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Blood Harvest Records | Bandcamp
Websites: phenocryst.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/phenocryst
Releases Worldwide: August 30th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Analepsy #Aug24 #BloodHarvestRecords #BoltThrower #CremationPyre #Crowbar #DeathMetal #Gaera #Phenocryst #PortugueseMetal #Review #Reviews

Phenocryst – Cremation Pyre Review

By Steel Druhm

Written by: Nameless_N00b_89

From the land that birthed such metal heavies as Gaerea and Analepsy, death/doom newcomers Phenocryst erupted across the burgeoning Portuguese metal scene with 2021’s Explosions EP. And now they prepare to unleash their debut full-length Cremation Pyre on mankind. Sporting a sufficiently oozy band logo, a now revamped line-up, and a unique concept mainly dealing with themes of volcanology, Phenocryst further distance themselves from the maddening meat ‘n’ taters crowd by incorporating psychedelic elements into their sound. My cursory research revealed that phenocryst is a volcanological term representing a large crystal formation often found in magmatic rocks. The more I researched, the more I bought into the concept, agreeing that volcanoes rock. The question I have about Phenocryst is, do they? Erupticus, Deathicus, Doomicus.

Let me clarify: this is not melodic death metal. This is death metal with psychedelic, nay, I say melodic elements sprinkled throughout like so much Lawry’s® Seasoned Salt. If it’s warp speeds, blast beats, and tech guitar virtuosity you’re looking for, look elsewhere. Trading tank treads and battle swords for ‘a‘ā1 lava flows and pyroclastic snows, Phenocryst channels 90’s era Bolt Thrower (“Pinnacle of Death” and “Pyres of the Altar”) with devastating effect. Guitarists D.S. and Santana (no, not that one) converge to riff a path over igneous environs with cudgel-like brutality (“Astonishing Devastation”) and doomy, sludge-filled slides (“Embers of an Ancient Fire”) that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Crowbar platter. Phenocryst had me banging my head and breaking out my best stank face. They aren’t here to make friends. They’re here to liquefy humanity under a sulfurous, rock-filled river of molten death metal lava.

The skeletal frame to which all this guitar muscle clings is the fundamental backbone and source of Phenocryst’s power. Drummer Artur, who joined Santana in 2022, and bassist V.M. expertly anchor all the performances on Cremation Pyre with ferocity and brute strength. V.M.’s bass work, distinctly audible throughout, plucks and plops (“Pinnacle of Death”) and gurgles and glops (“Astonishing Devastation” and “Pyres of the Altar”) like magma pooling under the earth’s surface. I imagine Jo Bench sitting in some English pub right now, smiling. Artur’s massive yet workmanlike performance behind the kit never once risks letting things get out of control, balancing perfectly between power and restraint. D.S., who handles all vocals, must have graduated magna cum laude from Death Vox University, with a major in Karl Willets growls (“Pinnacle of Death” and “Volcanic Winter”), and a minor in Martin Van Drunen’s rasps (“Astonishing Devastation”). His ferocity, though unvaried, ties the entire package together, placing Phenocryst firmly on Portugal’s metal map.

With Cremation Pyre, Phenocryst has improved in almost every category from Explosions. Even the album cover, a beautifully rendered oil painting by James Campbell is more engaging than the monochrome cover of the EP. Fernando Matias’ work from the booth propels the band to achieve its gargantuan sound. Where Explosions was claustrophobic, muddy, and cavernous sounding, Cremation Pyre’s dynamic master allows each instrument to occupy its own space while simultaneously combining to form a vibrant, warm-sounding whole. Small as it may be, the album is not without faults. At 39 minutes, Cremation Pyre suffers not from bloat but misplaced interludes. The awkward addition of the outro on “Astonishing Devastation” confuses and confirms the bit would have been better excised. More egregiously, the album might have ended spectacularly with the rumbling, eruptive outro of “Fogo Nas Entranhas.”2 But, the two-minute atmospheric “Burial Swamps” fades in and then out again, negating what could have been Cremation Pyre’s triumphant conclusion.

My n00b crown weighs heavy as I wrestle with scoring Cremation Pyre. Preparing this first foray into the fray, I realized at one point I’d stopped listening to form a critique and started listening from enjoyment.3 I’d hoped my first assignment would be something I could comfortably pan, but Cremation Pyre is not that, and it’s hard for me to attach too many demerits to its few missteps. It’s a powerfully heavy debut that demands serious attention, and I urge you to check it out. One day, if I somehow survive the gauntlet and ascend to the rank of staff, I’ll reflect on this review and decide if I am right.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Blood Harvest Records | Bandcamp
Websites: phenocryst.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/phenocryst
Releases Worldwide: August 30th, 2024

#2024 #35 #Analepsy #Aug24 #BloodHarvestRecords #BoltThrower #CremationPyre #Crowbar #DeathMetal #Gaera #Phenocryst #PortugueseMetal #Review #Reviews

Valdrin – Throne of the Lunar Soul Review

By Holdeneye

Back in 2020, I heaped an enormous amount of praise upon Effigy of Nightmares, the third full-length album from Ohio’s Valdrin, and while that record constitutes the exceedingly rare occurrence where time tempers my initial enthusiasm (I’d probably bring it down to a 4.0 at this point), I still hold it in high regard. I was caught up not only by Valdrin’s melodic black metal songwriting ability but also by the band’s incredible brand of storytelling. All of their albums tell stories within the same universe, with each one representing different points in the timeline and the perspectives of different characters, and while I can’t claim to have taken the time to fully grasp the entire narrative, I can appreciate the way that said narrative is delivered. Now, while Effigy was a mini-album by the band’s usual standards, follow-up Throne of the Lunar Soul is a double LP, reverting back to the lengthy tendencies that Valdrin displayed on their first two albums. This tendency gives me some pause, but let’s see if these guys can wow me again.

Very little has changed in the stylistic department since Effigy; all of the same comparisons still stand. The demonic presence of Dissection, Watain, Dimmu Borgir, and Emperor can all be felt here rather strongly, with keys and tremolos galore. I really appreciate the amount of atmosphere that Valdrin works into their songs, as it complements the more aggressive sections quite well. In fact, I’ve embedded what I consider to be the most interesting track on Throne of the Lunar Soul: the title track. The track is surprisingly subdued and beautiful much of the time. The key passages are captivating, and the guitar solo has a classic shred feel that brings such a wonderfully strange dynamic to black metal. The track moves between feelings of major scale triumph and minor scale defeat, and even delves into moments of funereal dirge. It’s a beautiful song that aptly demonstrates Valdrin’s willingness to experiment within their chosen genre.

And that experimentation makes Throne of the Lunar Soul a diverse journey, as each of the songs has its own character. “Paladins of Ausadjur” has a victorious gallop, “Seven Swords (In the Arsenal of Steel)” uses blacksmith noises as part of its hammering rhythm, and “Vagrant in the Chamber of Night” leans heavily into Valdrin’s keyboard use with some classical flourishes. “Holy Matricide” begins with some incredible finger-picked acoustic guitar, and when combined with its nefarious subject matter, it sounds like it could be on the Blasphemous soundtrack. These are just a handful of examples of an album filled to the brim with quality.

In fact, Throne of the Lunar Soul might be a little too full of quality material. This is one of those strange situations where an album is almost uniformly great, has no moments that one could consider even remotely bad (or even mediocre), yet it still lacks a certain something. In this case, it lacks focus. Each of these songs is great in its own way, but many of them travel a good 2-3 minutes past their most optimal limits. There are five tracks over seven minutes here (and three over eight), and that takes an enormous amount of focus to properly appreciate. And it’s hard to appreciate when I know in my soul that this album contains another 4.0 or higher within its bloated corpse. Ultimately, I’m still not able to rate Throne of the Lunar Soul any lower than “Very Good” thanks to Valdrin’s incredibly dynamic approach to the style.

I guess you really can have too much of a good thing. While Throne of the Lunar Soul never really drags and is, in fact, rather captivating throughout its 74-minute runtime, I just can’t help but imagine how amazing it would be (and how highly it would list) if the songs and the album itself were shortened to more reasonable lengths. Still, Valdrin is a melodic black metal powerhouse, and with a focus on editing, their next album could be incredible.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Blood Harvest Records
Websites: valdrin.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/valdrinausadjur
Releases Worldwide: November 24th, 2023

#2023 #35 #AmericanMetal #BlackMetal #BloodHarvestRecords #DimmuBorgir #Dissection #Emperor #MelodicBlackMetal #Nov23 #Review #Reviews #SymphonicMetal #ThroneOfTheLunarSoul #Valdrin #Watain

Valdrin – Throne of the Lunar Soul Review

By Holdeneye

Back in 2020, I heaped an enormous amount of praise upon Effigy of Nightmares, the third full-length album from Ohio’s Valdrin, and while that record constitutes the exceedingly rare occurrence where time tempers my initial enthusiasm (I’d probably bring it down to a 4.0 at this point), I still hold it in high regard. I was caught up not only by Valdrin’s melodic black metal songwriting ability but also by the band’s incredible brand of storytelling. All of their albums tell stories within the same universe, with each one representing different points in the timeline and the perspectives of different characters, and while I can’t claim to have taken the time to fully grasp the entire narrative, I can appreciate the way that said narrative is delivered. Now, while Effigy was a mini-album by the band’s usual standards, follow-up Throne of the Lunar Soul is a double LP, reverting back to the lengthy tendencies that Valdrin displayed on their first two albums. This tendency gives me some pause, but let’s see if these guys can wow me again.

Very little has changed in the stylistic department since Effigy; all of the same comparisons still stand. The demonic presence of Dissection, Watain, Dimmu Borgir, and Emperor can all be felt here rather strongly, with keys and tremolos galore. I really appreciate the amount of atmosphere that Valdrin works into their songs, as it complements the more aggressive sections quite well. In fact, I’ve embedded what I consider to be the most interesting track on Throne of the Lunar Soul: the title track. The track is surprisingly subdued and beautiful much of the time. The key passages are captivating, and the guitar solo has a classic shred feel that brings such a wonderfully strange dynamic to black metal. The track moves between feelings of major scale triumph and minor scale defeat, and even delves into moments of funereal dirge. It’s a beautiful song that aptly demonstrates Valdrin’s willingness to experiment within their chosen genre.

And that experimentation makes Throne of the Lunar Soul a diverse journey, as each of the songs has its own character. “Paladins of Ausadjur” has a victorious gallop, “Seven Swords (In the Arsenal of Steel)” uses blacksmith noises as part of its hammering rhythm, and “Vagrant in the Chamber of Night” leans heavily into Valdrin’s keyboard use with some classical flourishes. “Holy Matricide” begins with some incredible finger-picked acoustic guitar, and when combined with its nefarious subject matter, it sounds like it could be on the Blasphemous soundtrack. These are just a handful of examples of an album filled to the brim with quality.

In fact, Throne of the Lunar Soul might be a little too full of quality material. This is one of those strange situations where an album is almost uniformly great, has no moments that one could consider even remotely bad (or even mediocre), yet it still lacks a certain something. In this case, it lacks focus. Each of these songs is great in its own way, but many of them travel a good 2-3 minutes past their most optimal limits. There are five tracks over seven minutes here (and three over eight), and that takes an enormous amount of focus to properly appreciate. And it’s hard to appreciate when I know in my soul that this album contains another 4.0 or higher within its bloated corpse. Ultimately, I’m still not able to rate Throne of the Lunar Soul any lower than “Very Good” thanks to Valdrin’s incredibly dynamic approach to the style.

I guess you really can have too much of a good thing. While Throne of the Lunar Soul never really drags and is, in fact, rather captivating throughout its 74-minute runtime, I just can’t help but imagine how amazing it would be (and how highly it would list) if the songs and the album itself were shortened to more reasonable lengths. Still, Valdrin is a melodic black metal powerhouse, and with a focus on editing, their next album could be incredible.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Blood Harvest Records
Websites: valdrin.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/valdrinausadjur
Releases Worldwide: November 24th, 2023

#2023 #35 #AmericanMetal #BlackMetal #BloodHarvestRecords #DimmuBorgir #Dissection #Emperor #MelodicBlackMetal #Nov23 #Review #Reviews #SymphonicMetal #ThroneOfTheLunarSoul #Valdrin #Watain