Dutch symphonic metal band BLACKBRIAR have always had a flair for the dramatics (and even the macabre) when it comes to the music especially when it comes to the vocals and the lyrics. For me, their stories feel like reading spooky Gothic novels or twisted fairytales, and I absolutely love the sonic universe they have created with their three EPs and debut album, “The Cause of Shipwreck” (2021). With their sophomore effort, “A Dark Euphony,” they have utterly solidified their place on the metal scene. The album was released on September 29th, 2023, via Nuclear Blast Records.
Merging together gloomy storytelling and theatrical aesthetics, BLACKBRIAR‘s sound is equal parts whimsically enigmatic and firmly rooted in heavy melodies that pair incredibly well with the visual side of the band. Listening to this album is pretty easy to understand why their music has captivated and enthralled the listeners – it acts like a gateway to a realm where metallic darkness and melodic beauty reign supreme, as Zora Cock’s mesmerizing vocals bring to life characters from old fairytales, Gothic romances, mythology, and chilling legends. As such, the perfectly titled “A Dark Euphony” is about as dramatic and haunting as expected from BLACKBRIAR… and then some since the band has masterfully expanded on the strong foundation they have laid with their previous offerings and, thus, have substantially consolidated their sonic identity.
This album is put together like a storybook with each of the eleven tracks representing a different chapter in the book, boasting distinct narratives, ghastly atmospheres, and dreamlike nuances. At the same time, “A Dark Euphony” is much more bombastic, balanced, and cohesive than their previous album, with the instrumental side and the vocal lines being more in sync so as not to rely so much on Zora’s unique approach to carry the band’s sound. The opening track “An Unwelcomed Guest” is a great example in this respect as the guitar melodies and thundering drums neatly frame Zora’s vocals and enhance the song’s foreboding ambiance. On the other hand, the guitars feel a bit more subdued on the folksy “Far Distant Lands” giving the vocals and the backing orchestrations more space to shine and create a dreamy atmosphere. The track carries a Celtic vibe which (in tandem with the lyrics about gemstones, ghosts from the past, and stones on a hill) makes me think it was inspired by the TV/book series Outlander.
Recent single “Spirit of Forgetfulness” is one of the band’s liveliest and brightest numbers with a simple but effective melody at its core magnified by a choir and sweeping orchestrations, especially in the massive chorus section, that proves BLACKBRIAR can craft compelling songs that are not necessarily dark, gloomy, bleak, or dreary. This lightheartedness doesn’t last long as the following track, melancholic “Bloody Footprints in the Snow,” is among their heaviest and gloomiest cuts, with powerful drumming from René Boxem and dramatic strings enriching the haunting vocal delivery. This is probably one of Zora’s best vocal performances as she bends notes and uses her piercing tones to maximum effect. The heartfelt ballad “The Evergreen and The Weeping Tree” convinces with delicate singing and Ruben Wijga’s beautiful piano melodies to which a mournful-sounding cello and orchestrations are added to enhance the fragile atmosphere that builds up in intensity as a guitar takes over the main melody.
The album’s second half is just as strong as the first part, with “Cicada” bringing some intense melodic hooks and soaring vocals that make it an instant earworm while “My Soul’s Demise” is a dark tale about a sin-eater crafted with all the BLACKBRIAR trademark elements in place from the sorrowful lyrics and dramatic orchestrations all the way to the poignant vocals and somber ambiance. It is, however, the eerie “We Make Mist,” with its ebb and flow between ethereal singing and instrumentals that ground it in heavy sounds, that best encapsulates all that makes this band so alluring and gripping. This track, alongside “Bloody Footprints in the Snow,” and the fiery guitar solo on “My Soul’s Demise” are some of the album’s high points. The band’s whimsical side comes to light with “Thumbelina,” a fun and dynamic song that has a far heavier side than anyone could have imagined given its fairytale-inspired origins. Gothic romance “Forever and a Day” has a haunting quality to it and the tempestuous guitar solo only elevates it to the stratosphere. The closing track “Crimson Faces” really packs a punch with its swelling orchestrations and powerful riffs thus leaving listeners wanting more.
All-in-all, “A Dark Euphony” not only delivers on its titular promise of gloomy melodies, ominous soundscapes, and dark poetic lyricism it is also an all killer no filler-type of album. BLACKBRIAR show maturity and growth on this album, delivering a plethora of melodic keys, intense crescendos, towering guitar riffs and solos, rich orchestrations, and striking vocals through the course of eleven tracks that are as individual and memorable as they are lush, vibrant, and full of emotions. This album could just be BLACKBRIAR’s finest moment thus far in their career raising the bar for themselves and every other symphonic metal band all the while fulfilling the promise of being a shadowy and peculiar presence on the Dutch symphonic/Gothic metal scene.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. An Unwelcome Guest
2. Far Distant Land
3. Spirit of Forgetfulness
4. Bloody Footprints in the Snow
5. The Evergreen and The Weeping Tree
6. Cicada
7. My Soul´s Demise
8. We Make Mist
9. Thumbelina
10. Forever and a Day
11. Crimson Faces
Lineup
Zora Cock – Vocals
Bart Winters – Guitars
Robin Koezen – Guitars
Siebe Sol Sijpkens – Bass
René Boxem – Drums
Ruben Wijga – Keys
Label
Nuclear Blast Records
