Review Summary: A major step forward in Eight Bells' post metal trajectory
Eight Bells has always been driven by an eclectic hodgepodge that could best be described as doomy post rock, but they’ve never sounded as heavy as they do on Legacy of Ruin. While the Portland group’s priorities remain primarily focused on exploring a gloomy oceanic atmosphere, this album brings their most metallic tendencies to the forefront. There’s a real sense of expansion throughout, reflected in the growing influences as well as a longer runtime that pushes them beyond the forty-minute mark for the first time.
Much of that comes down to the musicianship, which has seen some dramatic upheaval since 2016’s Landless thanks to a completely new rhythm section accompanying guitarist/vocalist Melynda Jackson. The band has certainly utilized harsher tropes like blasting drums, tremolo picking, and supplementary shrieks before, but they seem to have more commitment to them here. The guitars have more weight, and the drumming feels more precise. Of course, they still work in conjunction with the more melodic elements as the chanting cleans and drawn-out chords continue to provide much of the foundation.
The songwriting also benefits from some greater focus. While the songs still rely more on sequential ebb and flow than any traditional catchiness, they stand out on an individual basis while flowing into one another nicely. “Torpid Dreamer” is the album’s most immediate track, serving a proggy riff set that is simultaneously straightforward yet angular. I can also get into the calmer builds on “The Well” and “The Crone,” the former serving up the most effectively gradual buildup over eleven minutes, while “Premonition” closes things out with a splendidly heavy climax.
Overall, Legacy of Ruin is a major step forward in Eight Bells’ post metal trajectory. The lengthy gap and member changeovers since the band’s last album seem to have worked in their favor as the songwriting comes off stronger and the new lineup has a lot of chemistry behind it. As much as I find myself wishing the structures were a bit more linear, one can feel the more emboldened purpose behind them. Fans of groups like Giant Squid, Grayceon, and Chelsea Wolfe’s heavier excursions should get a lot out of it.
