The Pitch: Technical melodic death metallers Symbolik deliver their debut album, Emergence, via The Artisan Era. FFO: Inferi, Alterbeast, Exocrine
What I Like: Emergence is another solid outing in the style we've come to know and love from The Artisan Era label. In particular, if you are a big fan of Inferi, there is little reason that you won't enjoy the sounds of Symbolik. They possess the same knack for impressive melodic displays of riffing combined with ripping, higher pitched harsh vocals. Where things start to diverge is with the more atmospheric implementation of synth backdrop. Between this and the vocal approach, Symbolik sports an icy aesthetic that often feels more aligned with symphonic black metal were it not for the occasional deeper death growls and more technical orientation of the guitars. “In Servitude of Silence” even has a classy harpsichord intro that hints at the broader potential of the band’s sound.
Critiques: This is another one of these albums that unfortunately feels very interchangeable with other similar ones. As enjoyable as it is during the listen, there just aren't enough moments that really stick with you. It's in part the production and a lacking presence in the vocals. Give it a little more of a TBDM treatment and it would make a big difference...or Immanifest if we are pulling from the same label.
The Verdict: Emergence is a really solid melodic and sometimes progressive technical death metal outing that provides a consistently enjoyable listening experience, albeit one somewhat lacking in memorability. Give Symbolik a listen for yourself and let us know what you think.
Flight's Fav's: A Tyranny In Decay, Coalescing The Void, Souls of Deception
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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