A Prelude to Sorrow

As if 2017’s Nocturnes and Requiems wasn’t dark enough, Witherfall goes even further on their second full-length album, A Prelude to Sorrow. “We Are Nothing” quickly establishes a noticeably grittier tone as the guitars have a muddy, bottom heavy crunch while harsher vocals are occasionally mixed in with the high screams and melodic wails. Thankfully the band’s acoustic tendencies are still around to provide solid contrast though even those segments are more ominous.

Despite this almost claustrophobic approach, the band never strays from their core power-prog style. Like the debut before it, a haunting, conceptual vibe can be felt throughout and just about every track is a multi-faceted journey with extensive dynamic excursions. The expanded band lineup may have resulted in even more elaborate structures, but there’s enough climactic ebb and flow to keep these pieces from feeling too nonlinear or self-indulgent.

But with this in mind, A Prelude of Sorrow may be less accessible than Nocturnes and Requiems. The performances are excellent and there was clearly effort put into the songwriting, but the vocal lines and driving tempos aren’t quite as memorable this time around. The production may also play a role in this album being trickier to get into, but it’s a grower either way.

Witherfall’s second full-length album kinda reminds me of Dream Theater’s Awake. It’s a darker effort with a more aggressive execution that makes it more challenging to get a feel for, but there’s enough pathos to warrant further listens. It’s somehow even more of an acquired taste than the debut, but I can imagine certain fans enjoying this one more due to these more esoteric developments. Either way, it’s nice to see Witherfall making progress and prog metal listeners should try it out.

Highlights:
“Communion of the Wicked”
“Maridian’s Visitation”
“Ode to Despair”

Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com

I’ll just assume everyone knows Witherfall by now, because if you didn’t listen to last year’s album of the year, their debut Nocturnes and Requiems (2017), you done fucked up. That first album described something like a nightmare that turned darker, to show its true abyssal self, but A Prelude to Sorrow is a work of mourning. The death of former drummer Adam Sagan (ex- Into Eternity) is felt all throughout the production, and like the aftermath of loss, A Prelude to Sorrow takes many shapes.

After the titular intro, 'We Are Nothing' starts off heavy, aggressive, angry. It leads the album off into a more progressively built venture led in spades by Jake Dreyer’s (Iced Earth, ex- White Wizzard) furious lead guitars and the eerie, dark presence of vocalist Joseph Michael (Sanctuary, ex- White Wizzard). The structures are worked to perfection, with massive buildups that just as soon twist into something darker as turn into softer passages set to Dreyer’s acoustic guitars. And where the debut dealt in plenty of power metal, and there still are traces of it, the sound on here is decidedly closer to Nevermore style of dark progressive metal.

Sagan’s replacement Steve Bolognese (Death Dealer, ex- Into Eternity) handles the responsibility of it well. The embodiment of the rhythm section on the album is much a continuation of what was started on the first album, with a distinctly similar sound and while also feeling new and improved and unique to Bolognese’s style. Anthony Crawford delivers moody bass lines to go well alongside the dark tone, and led in riffs and the dark melodic play by Dreyer’s guitar which takes several steps up from the debut. There’s less guitar noodling, and a bigger sense of purpose to Dreyer’s antics, a sense of direction.

It’s a more controlled effort and the whole benefits greatly from it. The musicianship blends melancholy amazingly with the frenetic guitar play, blazing solos undeniably powerful choruses and catchy vocal melodies. Michael gives color and life to the process, delivered in powerful layers and delving into his darker territories while also bringing back some of the almost King Diamond like highs from the first album, particularly in heavier than fuck mid album track 'Shadows'.

When you really start to give the album the time it deserves, you begin to really feel the weight of emotion put into this work of art. Be it the relentless, moody weight of single 'Ode to Despair' or the eerie acoustic flow of 'Maridian’s Visitation' - set with some of Michael’s fine keyboard work that often take the atmosphere setting route - or even the madly twisting heaviness of 'We Are Nothing', the album continues to evolve with each listen.

Perhaps the crowning moment is the second eleven minute song, on the far end of the album; 'Vintage'. Here the musicianship take yet another twist; starting off as a ballad with a furiously melancholy chorus, turning into a slow cooking behemoth of Dreyer’s likely best melodic play on the album. The looming presence of the bass and rhythm section adds the final dimension, to complete the album and bring to the process a sense of finality; release. You’ll especially notice the hair rising moment around the five minute mark, where Michael’s vulnerable yet liberating falsetto gives way to a slow melodic guitar lead, and the masterful last few minutes.

I could probably go on, but the music and emotional weight of Witherfall is best experienced and not read of. This album is masterfully written and performed, with especially Dreyer and Michael both proving to be world class musicians, without showing off.

While A Prelude to Sorrow didn’t hit me quite as hard at first glance as the debut did, there is no doubt that the immersive layers and the depths unreached will prove, with time, to surpass that first album. In less than two months time this near flawless masterpiece will be crowned ‘album of the year’ (yes, I’m calling it already).
And it carries a name; Adam Paul Sagan.

Standout tracks: We Are Nothing, Communion Of The Wicked, Shadows, Vintage