At Tuska Open Air we were happy to meet Carlos Crowcell, drummer of upcoming New-York based prog/melodic death metal band SOLEMN VISION. They released their self-titled debut album in March this year, and seem to be ready to take the genre by storm.
The complexity and depth of this album made for a very pleasant surprise. You are in for one hell of a ride: dynamic song structures with layers upon layers of prog and melodic elements to keep you on the edge of your seat while listening. Aside from some impressive craftmanship, SOLEMN VISION offers an original take on the genre, that makes them stand out whereas other, newer bands just blend in. They offer compelling melodicity in some killer riffs and harmonies, alongside pounding blast beats and interchanging rhythms. The vocals by Aaron Harris are as otherworldly as they are brutal, adding to the general dark, eerie atmosphere of the record.
Every song is incredibly well-produced, and SOLEMN VISION is definitely not afraid to experiment as the album progresses. While listening, I encountered some aspects you may find in Folk Metal as well as Doom Metal, and some surprisingly atmospheric parts to keep things interesting. The band builds bridges between heavy, relentless shredding and emotional, melancholic melodies. My personal favourite song has to be “Midnight Sun”, because of the amazing guitar solo and the mysterious, foreboding build-up to melodic brutality which really pulls the listener in.
This debut immerses you into SOLEMN VISION‘s unique style, reminding me of bands such as (early) IN FLAMES, SOILWORK, and DARK TRANQUILITY. They know how to keep you engaged with their mesmerizing array of skills as musicians, and a powerful willingness to display every hint of creativity that went into this refreshing record.
LINEUP
Aaron Harris – Vocals
Mauricio Gutierrez – Guitars
Kadin Wisniewski – Guitars
Anthony Rafferty – Bass
Carlos Crowcell – Drums
TRACKLIST
- Intro
- A Perch for Demons
- Perish
- Midnight Sun
- Circles
- The Soul Impaled
- Fortress of Solitude
- Purposeless
- Reincarnate
RECORD LABEL
Independent (release 29th of March, 2019)
LINKS
https://facebook.com/SolemnVision
