Review Summary: An innovative, dissonant, and considered piece of beauty
1 of 7 thought this review was well writtenThe latest release from France's black metal, enigmatic band, is far more slow and atmospheric than their previous release. At times you can hear the music ponder; carefully considering the step that will proceed it. This approach is similar to the 'Epitome 2' and 'Epitome 6' tracks on the previous tracks, where dissonance and melody are juxtaposed, creating something truly unique. A sublime example of this is during the first track on the album, 'Epitome 7'; this composition has a wonderful contrast of dissonance and beauty. At the latter stages of the song there is a sudden eruption into what I consider to be a beautiful, majestic melody that is incomparable to anything else I’ve heard. Then once this melody terminates you are greeted with a whirling, disruptive, and dissonant riff that that just emphasis the excellent compositional approach of Vinsdval.
One thing I adore about this album is the sections of near silence; the slow sustained notes. It really gives the music some space to breathe, and subsequently provides a vigorous stamina for the music surrounding this calming pause. However there are also sections of dense musical ideas; amplified by BUN's signature guitar sound, the wonderful production on their new records, and the purchase of a good drum machine. 'Epitome 10' utilises these two elements perfectly, and also has a rhythmically hypnotic central riff that is one of the many moment on this album that causes a genuinely emotional response from the listener.
An issue I have with the album is the short track, 'Epitome 9'. It is, essentially, a filler. The melody and chord voicings are relatively comforting and delightful, however their contribution to the album is familiarly forgettable. But it is such a small segment of this album; such that my quarrel with it is for the most part, obsolete.
The production on the album, and more specifically the drums, are probably the best Vindsval has produced. Gone are the somewhat falsified and tinny drum sounds; in their ashes has arisen a dense, industrial, and wonderfully refreshing drum sound that finally lives up to the expressive guitars and melodies. These are then amplified by the improved production, that has even surpassed this albums predecessor, ‘Sect(s)’. While they both have a mechanically sterile, yet beautiful feel, this album polishes this sound and provides a far more stimulating experience because of it.
This album is an improvement, and a progression in the ‘777’ series. It represents the magnificent and melodious atonal dissonance that was conceived at the time of ‘The Work That Transformed God’, and perpetuated with ‘MORT’ and ‘Sect(s)’. The various changes and additions that have subsequently been made makes this one of BUN’s strongest releases; a strong, emotive endeavour.
