INK & FIRE is a black metal one-man band that was founded in Chicago in 2021. The second album, “Emblazoned Visions Yield Eternity,” was released via the U.K.-based label Death Prayer Records on August 2nd, 2024. M.K. (real name Charles McDonald) born in 1989, delivers an important lesson on how black metal can evolve, with an imprint that can be attributed to USBM, but with such a strong personal approach that labels and definitions become superfluous, if not outright misleading.
Already, with FIN, in his previous project, he had shown a certain originality in songwriting and sound management. However, with this new work, he has proven that he possesses both the skills and the creativity necessary to leave a mark in an era where most albums eventually fail to spark any long-term interest. “Emblazoned Visions Yield Eternity” is a sonic journey of just over half an hour, featuring ten tracks in which M.K. skillfully and seamlessly blends melody, sophisticated guitar work, frenetic rhythms, and a unique style that makes everything sound extreme and stunningly aggressive, resulting in an emotionally intense experience. The vocals are mostly an acid scream reminiscent of certain Northern European productions from the early ’90s, very expressive and visceral, making it the most immediate and catchy aspect of the album. This alternates with decidedly epic clean vocals, which reshuffle the deck and create continuity between the tracks, in a context that overall tends to disrupt classic song structures, pleasantly catching the listener off guard.
This is not, to be clear, one of those albums that I would put on as background music while doing housework. It requires a moment of concentration, almost of recollection, in an approach that I would define as “meditative.” But to be completely honest, I am always eager to listen to this kind of opus. It is an album that forces the listener to introspect, and sometimes it can be an eye-opening experience.
I find the position of the title track as the opening song curious and not accidental, almost as if it were intended to provide a very precise narrative cue. Two guests appear on the album: Deadmanwalkman on “All Tales Galivant” and Vitrahn (known for being in several Finnish black metal bands, such as HAUTAKAMMIO and WHITE DEATH) on “Moments in Time.” Their contributions, both on backing vocals, are not particularly invasive but rather enrich the whole with an even more extreme and solemn hue, especially on the sixth track.
The influence of Italian black metal cult band SPITE EXTREME WING is also evident in the refined and evocative melodic components, where the fluidity of the guitars almost takes the place of a synth, but fortunately does not degenerate into clumsy and inconclusive plagiarism. Rather, it evolves into a pleasant and perhaps unexpected legacy. The closing track caught me by surprise: “Astute Wreckless Abandon” is a punk song that reminds me of GG ALLIN. In just under three and a half minutes, there is a total change of atmosphere compared to the rest of the album, while maintaining the same main characteristics.
“Emblazoned Visions Yield Eternity” is not for everyone, as it requires the will to delve deeper into the complexity of one’s inner world. Given its musical qualities, if this is the future of extreme metal, we are definitely in safe hands.
Written by Licia Mapelli
Tracklist
- Emblazoned Visions Yield Eternity
- Gestures of Endearment
- To Fall
- Light Pierced Leaves
- All Tales Galivant (feat. Deadmanwalkman)
- Moments in Time (feat. Vritrahn)
- Epiphany
- Let Us Proceed
- Infinite Hammer of Fate
- Astute Wreckless Abandon
Lineup
M.K. – vocals, guitars, bass, drum programming
Label
Death Prayer Records
