The Unravelling – “13 Arcane Hymns” (CD)

“13 Arcane Hymns” Track List:

1. Move Forward Until You Are Dead
2. Becoming Chaos
3. Fire Breather
4. Open Skull
5. Last Rights Protest
6. Revived
7. Unscripted Disclosure
8. In The Safe House
9. Where Will It End?
10. Disconnect – Connect
11. My Resignation
12. Arjuna
13. Victory Song

Release Date: May 13, 2010
Label: Independent

KING: It’s impossible to explain The Unravelling’s sound in one sentence. To say it has elements of metal, rock, progressive touches and even an industrial influence that occasionally raises it’s gritty head doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what the Calgary, Alta. based band’s debut album 13 Arcane Hymns encompasses. The first thing that struck me about this album was the varying vocal styles, from exceptional cleans laden with harmony to metal screams before moving seamlessly into megaphone roars, all performed by lone vocalist Steve Moore. The other half of The Unravelling duo, Gustavo De Beauville, performs all the music (with the exception of the drums), and, musically there is a lot going on, taking the listener from sublime melodies into controlled chaos. This CD has enough aggressive parts to satiate the metal head, as well as loads of varying melody that will no doubt introduce the band to a wider audience. The production on 13 Arcane Hymns is top notch: clean, powerful and dynamic. The album is a dark emotional ride leaving this listener wanting more. 

DR. GORE: The wide range, and very dynamic sound The Unravelling possesses is a great mix, and what they put on this CD is excellent. Sonically, it sounds like what would happen if Ministry and Tool battled to the death as a means to spawn a new hybrid band to change music as we know it forever. The songs are very well-written and very well performed and, as a whole, the album is as it should be: an album. Not a couple hitters songs with some filler, but something that is so interesting and so dynamic that you can just sit down and listen to it from start to finish without skipping the odd track. But if you are expecting some kind of grinding death metal, or some blasting black metal, this will not be your cup of tea. There are probably just as many things one would not like about, that I do like about it. But you cannot please everyone. Still, I think you should give The Unravelling’s 13 Arcane Hymns a listen. My advice to you is to go to your car, head out on a nice long drive, and crank this disc. And if you don’t have wheels, just crank it!

The Vision Bleak – “Set Sail To Mystery” (CD)

“Set Sail To Mystery” Track List:

1. Curse Of The Grandest Kind
2. Descend Into Maelstrom
3. I Dined With The Swans
4. A Romance With The Grave
5. The Outsider
6. Mother Nothingness (The Triumph Of Ubbo Sathla)
7. The Foul Within
8. He Who Paints The Black Of Night

Release Date: May 4, 2010
Label: Prophecy Productions

KING: The Vision Bleak’s latest offering Set Sail To Mystery is eight tracks of  keyboard-heavy, down-tuned guitar-laden doom. The album kicks off with the track “A Curse of the Grandest Kind,” which consists of poetic speech over a symphonic music bed. While this would work as a minute-long intro, the four minute running time made me want to skip ahead to see when the real music would begin. The CD gets much better after this point, reaching a high point halfway through the album at “A Romance With The Grave,” which is set off by a mid-tempo heavy guitar and drum groove that will get even the most jaded listener banging there head. The baritone lead vocals bring a bit of a classic goth feel and the more aggressive vocals add a much needed metal touch. The stark piano parts and meandering doomy guitar riffs bring together the dark atmosphere. Overall, Set Sail to Mystery is not a perfect album, but it is worth your attention. While the duo do not stray far from the goth metal template, what they do musically, they do very well. And though it may suffer at  times with a lack of originality, The Vision Bleak do know how to construct well-written memorable songs.

DR. GORE: Set Sail To Mystery is The Vision Bleak’s fourth full-length album, and the first time I have listened to the German metallers. And I am very impressed with this album. I think the recording is excellent, the only thing I am not huge on is the guys voice. But, that is probably the death metal in me. And this album is not. The Vision Bleak have a very atmospheric and theatrical sound, which is as excellent as it is corny, but that is what makes it so awesome. I thoroughly enjoy their use of horns in this album, as well as the doomy/gothic sound that flows throughout, although I could see a lot of reasons why someone would choose to pass over this CD, because as atmospheric, theatrical, and dynamic as the album is, the music is nothing new. I think I would prefer to see it live, as the recording gives me the impression that is the best way to truly hear The Vision Bleak.