With an artwork that promises yet another musical journey into the past of blackened doom/death metal, it's easy to assume that Sculpting from Time picks up where Stygian Dreams left off. The vibrant colors and dramatic scenery of the artwork are easily something I could have pictured on a 90’s album artwork and since I’m a visual guy, that’s easily a plus to me. But here’s the thing: although Asphodelus haven’t lost their melancholic touch completely, Sculpting from Time hardly sounds like the logical successor to Stygian Dreams. The earlier influences of early Katatonia and Varathron are still notable, but in this case, Asphodelus have dived into the dangerous realms of melodic doom/death metal. The result is an elaborated, progressive and musically inconsistent record that’s arguably more of a grower than Stygian Dreams was.
With a strong keyboard presence, serene acoustic guitars and additional clean vocals, Sculpting from Time somewhat resembles Paradise Lost’s Obsidian to a point that the songs sounds more detailed, epic and busier than you’ll notice at first sight. Granted, the addition of these elements aren’t always to my liking (the clean vocals that are done by the guest musician sound too inauthentic; perhaps that's to be expected), but considering that Sculpting from Time could hardly be described as a riff-driven record, these additions usually work in the band’s favor. With icy keys that resemble frozen castles long time gone, forceful vocals that howl towards forsaken moons and driving guitars that get the weepy job done, ‘Where Sirens Wept’ sounds like an emotional monolith that could have easily appeared on Stygian Dreams due to its Katatonia-esque nature. Even when Asphodelus dare to step into territories unknown, the results aren’t always superb, but ‘Waterside’ proves that the band certainly know what they got themselves into. With a strong emphasis on lead-driven hook melodies of sentimental power and a narrative that allows a balance between tenderness and dramatic repetition, the tune allows Sculpting from Time to leave a good first impression behind at least.
The inconsistencies of Sculpting from Time prevent me from enjoying the record all the way through; even if it takes a while before the cracks start to show. ‘Life Painted Vermilion’ and ‘Monuments of Deception’ fall somewhere between modern October Tide and the Asphodelus of old. One moment, we’re dealing with rigid riffs that offer little to no emotional depth and practically result into filler verses - next thing you know, you’ll encounter an overpowering chorus that get saved by these overpowering vocal lines and soul-piercing leads. Certainly, none of these tunes could be described as garbage material, but for a band that has done much better in the past, these songs leave me somewhat disappointed. That said, ‘World of Hollow’ is the only real offender here; as it consists of frail leads, vague acoustic wanderings and pointless baritone cleans to a point that the final result is closer to In Grief’s An Eternity of Misery than anything else.
As it stands, Sculpting from Time is a mixed bag. It certainly has its moments, but the stylistic inconsistencies and its sense of pacing leave to be desired. The fact that the record ranges from melodic doom/death metal ala Rapture with extra muscles (‘Fallen Dreamer’), to blackened doom that resembles Varathron in terms of riffs (‘Sculpting in Time’), makes little sense to me. More importantly: Sculpting from Time makes me think of a confused band and the worst bits promise a bleak future; so here's hoping that this record is a one-off for Asphodelus.