Anthriel - Transcendence (first impressions)

[outprogged42]

So unlike many other official releases nowadays, this disc came out on a Thursday. And here we are with Anthriel's first record in seven years.

The biggest promise from the band was that it would be darker and heavier. It very much is so, and colder and more technically oriented rather than the generally warm and melodic sound of the debut The Pathway, reflecting darker emotions. The riffs are crunchier and thicker and yet there is also more use of clean guitar harmonics and some bluesy elements. The lyrical theme and concept are darker and less optimistic. The production style is hollower and more metallic-sounding, particularly the raw-sounding rhythm guitars and heavily gated drum sound.

Speaking of which, this guy is one of the few drummers to remind me of Mike Mangini's playing. His style is somewhat mathy and precision-oriented which doesn't seem to have the same feel and groove of the first drummer, although his fills, cymbal work, and syncopation are in a class far above. The keyboards still have that medieval feel to them but also incorporate plenty of modern elements too, unlike The Pathway.

The musicianship is definitely a step up, with plenty more shred solos and faster unisons, and the progressive elements are significantly higher, where most songs sit in the 6-7 minute range instead of 4-6, with one 11-minute and one enormous 19-minute epic.

I expected this record to blow me away, but time will have to tell on this one, as it is very good but doesn't hit me the same way the first record did on both a musical and particularly an emotional level, as it's still a very potently personal listening experience for me.

[Esanssi]

Thanks for your impressions. I really liked "The Pathway" and hoped they would complete the second one a bit earlier. Better late than never, I guess.

Here's a link for a new lyric video "Under Burning Skies". Complicated but catchy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgVzSxPxVTg

[LarryD]

I agree with everything you said ....... the game has been upped but there is something still missing. Definitely a step up from their previous disc, but I think what is missing are some melodies that keep you coming back for more. The vocals and musicianship are superb - but there is nothing memorable and catchy to keep it in your head.......

I love Prog - and these guys mix the Power / Prog beautifully, but they need more melodies to keep it going ........

[Man Of Much Metal]

I'm a big fan of this record, but owe it to this board and one very insistent reader of my blog for making me listen in the first place. Nearly missed out on a great album otherwise. So, thank you!

And here are my thoughts on it in more detail:

https://manofmuchmetal.wordpress.com/20 ... um-review/

Cheers,
Matt