Despite numerous efforts in the past, I’ve
always had a difficult time appreciating Skeletonwitch. It wasn’t anything in
particular that turned me off from the band, but I was just never drawn back to
their music. As is often the case, a rousing live performance tends to make me
realize my mistakes. After seeing the band crush everything in sight at Heavy
Montreal this year, checking out the band’s new EP (with their new vocalist)
seemed like a logical step.
Put simply, “The Apothic Gloom” is a
serious thrashing force that is filled with twists and turns. It provides a
stellar dosage of both death and black metal to go along with the band’s thrash
base. The way these three subgenres are intertwined is consistently impressive,
with many riffs taking more of a pure black metal approach (using tons of
dissonance and aided by blast beats). “Black Waters” even brings back images of
bands like Sacramentum and Dissection at times. The true genius of
Skeletonwitch, however, is their usage of even more melodic guitars. Often
times this takes the form of harmonized leads, and the band uses these sections
to put a significant amount of emotion into their music. The doomy sounds that
open and close the title track, “The Apothic Gloom”, are just one of many
examples. On the other end of the spectrum, the band uses similar techniques throughout “Red Death, White Light” to build an intense, epic climax to
the EP. This last track also has an incredible bouncy riff after about 4 and a half minutes in, which is just another example of this band separating themselves from the crowded thrash pack.
Between the more melodic sections,
Skeletonwitch just piles on an absurd number of riffs. As long as you can
handle some black metal in your thrash, the result will be worthwhile. The
rhythm section supports the rest of the band adequately. In other words, their
playing is tight beyond belief. The drumming on “The Apothic Gloom” is consistently
impressive, with numerous interesting fills, and tons of speedy beats. The bass
playing is given room to shine thanks to the guitar harmonies, but even holds
its own during the thrashier riffs.
For most Skeletonwitch fans, the point of
contention for this EP will be the band’s new vocalist. As stated above, I was
never particularly attached to this band in the past, and so I had no serious
expectations of new growler Adam Clemans. He more than fulfills his duties on
this record. Unsurprisingly, he can do it all in terms of harsh vocals, displaying
a wide range of pitches and brutality. His performance is likely to be enough
for most listeners because Skeletonwitch is mostly about the guitar playing (on
this EP at least). “The Apothic Gloom” is one of those releases that makes me
question if I was the problem, or if Skeletonwitch has truly stepped up their
game. One thing is for sure, "The Apothic Gloom" is an essential purchase for all fans of
extreme metal!
Highlights
"The Apothic Gloom"
"Red Death, White Light"
Final Rating
4.5/5 or 90%.
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