The Pitch: "The world of Shylmagoghnar is one that thrives on opposites: raw soundscapes meet pure elegy, and destruction gives way to harmony... Atmospheric black metal and harsh vocals burst into progressive guitar melodies deeply rooted in melodic death metal – a rather melancholic and yet playful set-up indulging in themes of our existence in all its monumental beauty and horrible chasms." Via Napalm Records. FFO: Insomnium, Windir, Be'lakor
What I Like: This is powerful stuff. For some reason I looked at that cover and assumed this would be some blackened, technical death metal a la Vale of Pnath, but in reality, Transience bares far more resemblance to our recent coverage of Euphoreon with its expansive production and breathtaking atmosphere. Like the other recommended bands above, Shylmagoghnar have an exemplary handle on uniting catchy melodeath riffs, epic blackened tremolo melodies, and folky Scandinavian imagery into one incredible package. It is a windswept, progressive journey providing the best of each of these worlds. The music is positively brimming with uplifting hope and emotion in spite of its heavy overtones and harsh vocals. Furthermore, the band does an excellent job of justifying the lengthier runtimes (the opening track alone is over 12 minutes) with progressive song structures and shifting sound palettes. This even holds true for the instrumental portions.
Critiques: I don't really have anything about this album that I would fix or change. But if I were to give just one piece of constructive feedback, it would be that this band could do more to stand out. It's another situation where I probably wouldn't be able to pick them out of a lineup.
The Verdict: Transience is a stellar album combining almost all of my favorite genres into one exciting experience. Shylmagoghnar have already mastered songwriting; their only remaining task is to find those trademark touches that will make them a household name.
Flight's Fav's: Transience, This Shadow Of The Heart, Journey Through The Fog
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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