Review Summary: One of the greatest metal albums in the 2010s and among Tom G Warrior’s greatest achievements
For the most part, Triptykon’s sophomore album follows up their debut with a similar mix of blackened goth-doom. However, the four years in between efforts have allowed even more room for the band’s eclectic elements as their dynamics are pushed to further extents than before. The mood is as brooding as ever, the musicianship is equally extravagant, and the darkness has more outlets to express itself.
“Aurorae” and “Demon Pact” make for the most drastic outliers and arguably the best songs on display. The former explores hazy post-punk textures as a “When The Levee Breaks”-style drum beat, swirling guitar builds, and grumbling vocals play out over a structure that perfectly balances looseness and coherence. The latter track feels like the soundtrack to a sleep paralysis episode with its almost industrial beat and unnerving symphonic effects.
Even the more conventional numbers seem to have more purpose to them this time around. The extreme metal speeds on the opening “Tree of Suffocating Souls” and “Breathing” hit incredibly hard while the doom excursions on “Boleskine House” and “Altar of Deceit” have more weight courtesy of their clean segments. “In The Sleep of Death” also stands for allowing V. Santura to shine with urgent laments for Emily Brontë across an especially morose riff set and “Waiting” closes the album out by reprising the calm ambiance of “My Pain” with an OM-style mystical bent.
With that said, Melana Chasmata is certainly cut from the same cloth as its predecessor in terms of scale. Sixty-seven minutes is still a lot to handle, even if it is a bit shorter than the last installment, and the glacial riffs can make “Black Snow” a lot to handle even if it doesn’t go for as long as “The Prolonging.” Fortunately, an even greater emphasis on variety can keep it all from getting dull.
Melana Chasmata is a triumph across the board, one of the greatest metal albums to come in the 2010s and arguably among the greatest of Tom G Warrior’s achievements. While the leap from Eparistera Daimones may not as drastic as something like Into the Pandemonium, it’s great to see the band maintaining an exploratory spirit with enough strong riffs and creepy moods to go around. As grumpy as I get about Triptykon having devoted more time to nostalgia sets in recent years, this remains a damn hard act to follow.
