Anthology of the East

Tragacanth are a Dutch outfit which has been formed in 2014. I have liked their latest album from 2018 “The Journey of a Man” quite a lot and so it was about time to check out the debut full length “Anthology of the East” as well. This has one has been released on Loud Rage music before they have switched to the sister label Pest Records for their second. The formula here is pretty similar, but overall this one seems just a bit more straight-forward to me.

For those unfamiliar with the band being subject of this review, Tragacanth peddles a blend of slightly technical death metal and black songwriting that’s melodically rich while being refreshingly unfussy in execution. The album we are talking about here is a titanic wall of riffs that showcases the band’s penchant for catchiness without sacrificing an oddly accessible approach to technical songwriting. The basic riffs always walk the fine path between modern sounding peers and chords more reminiscent of classic death/thrash metal acts.

Right from the first real song “The First Noble Truth” which kicks in once the intro has ended the band attack the tracks with fearsome and almost relentless venom. This and some other songs pack an especially beastly, churning groove made all the more potent by the drop into it from the preceding blasts – a trick they pull repeatedly. Extended slower and laid-back sections and the usage of slightly oriental sounding melodies in places are used in addition to give the band its own identity.

The main ingredient here are always the heavy riffs, with a few trademark chords sounding reminiscent of some Scandinavian melodic death metal bands. There are a few tremolo pickings to be found as well, lending the whole affair a blackish nature. A lot of different moods and atmospheres have been covered, and the listener is going through the motions. Rapid blast-attacks might be stopped by ambient moments and some piano interludes, with the overall flow of the album being well timed and the songs being nicely placed in the bigger context. The vocals consist of death growls and black metal screaming done the right way.

The sound is modern and has kind of a cold character, putting “Anthology of the East” more into the corner of death metal bands like Nile, Immolation etc. However, the band has enough ideas to stand on own feet. If there is a critic to be made it might be the fact that Tragancanth sometimes try a bit too hard to combine all these ideas in one album. There are a few moments where I had the feeling as they have played themselves a bit into a corner as a result. That being said this album is highly recommended for fans of the genre.