Storm & Brilliance

If you judged this only by the cover, you'd expect some pretty naive and derivative black or death metal--or at least I did. But happily this is anything but boring. It's a little rough in spots, but overall this is a band with something unique to add to the scene. The guitars dabble in some atonal chords and assymetrical, off-kilter riffs, reminding me most of Voivod or maybe Blut Aus Nord (later, they became even more like Blut Aus Nord on the Dissociated Human Junction split, but I actually prefer their quirkier style on this album). Really nice. Most songs have a sort of ambient introductory track before them, but these aren't filler at all--they're interesting, nicely composed little pieces in themselves, and add another dimension to the album. The drums aren't all that noteworthy, although they are well done, and have an almost jazzy flair to them at times. The production is a little lacking, not the best, but it's not really a problem, either. My only real issue is the vocals, which dominate the mix when they're present, and aren't done with a lot of finesse. They're just hoarse screaming, and have a slight punk vibe to them that grates on me. I do my best to overlook them, but I'm not always successful. The guitars also have an almost punk feeling to them at times, with a weird sort of jauntiness that seems at odds with the dark atmosphere the band is going for. Overall, though, this is an excellent and suprisingly innovative album--the music has few rough spots, but once this band marshalls their forces they could really point black metal in some new directions.