Blessed He with Boils

After much deliberation, and hundreds of return visits, I must conclude...

This is black metal's Requiem in D Minor.

Many bands have tried this. Many have even received similar accolades from others. Most have crudely emulated such stereotyped movements as 'Dies Irae' and 'Rex Tramendae Majestatis,' contributing to their current heavily-memed status. For this, and many analogous attempts to capture the heart of other composers' most celebrated works, they utilise heavily derivative orchestral structures, their ubiquity at times reaching the realm of unintentional self-parody.

'Blessed He With Boils' deftly avoid this emulation. Instead, it builds a thick, humid, pus-soaked medieval atmosphere, utilising a vast array of orchestral instruments, whose modern cinematic sensibilities pair perfectly with the tremolo riffs' winding, aggrieved panic. It bares that horror down upon an unmistakable wretch of a king. So absurdly malevolent is he, one cannot help but sympathise with the loathing chants of his people in the first half- even as his organs boil into puddles of rot in real time. Xanthochroid paint a horrifically evocative portrait of a kingdom in decline, an atrocious tyrant at the helm, a futile fight to keep his scabbed fist ensconced in iron, and absolute power's destiny towards absolute decay.

This album is at the pinnacle of orchestration- not just in metal, not just in rock music, but in music altogether. There's a dichotomy which kneecaps symphonic black metal in particular as a genre: the thin, austere tones its apocalyptic and horrifying scenery conventionally demands stand at odds with the dynamics required for its orchestration to truly resonate. 'Blessed He With Boils' accomplishes the same sonic miracle as Hyperion's 'Seraphical Euphony,' through different means. Hyperion's production pairs epic, exothermic riffs with modest background melodies, polishing them to a luminous sheen. By contrast, Xanthochroid establish through their inspired choice of instruments- mandolin, melodeon, autoharp, flute and more- the possibilities when one forgoes the endless quest for paradigm-shifting innovations in production techniques.

Adapting the grain of their writing to their production, rather than pushing the production against it, solves an array of potential problems. It allows the tremolo riffs, drums and at times even the harsh vocals to fill out the low end unusually thoroughly. In doing so, it forms the guitars and autoharp into a makeshift string section. This at once compensates for the lack of bass, and lends the riffs room to fill out their necessary metal aggression. Opting for so many wind instruments creates a breezy layer of atmosphere- at times resounding like teardrops singing their heartsickness, at times reaching into nostalgia or even carefree reverie. They emanate emotionality, steering the tone of entire passages towards their most vibrant manifestations, drawing out the virtuosic hysteria in the operatic clean vocals.

Song structure and album arrangement also play a huge role. Xanthochroid immerse their intense dramatic pinnacles in a warm bath of quietude. Songs frequently both begin and end with ambient, atmospheric, flute- and percussion-driven passages, preceding or following interludes of pure orchestration. These can be entirely instrumental, or include heartbreaking soft monologues. Despite our monarch's undeniable , the band were not content simply crafting a villain and relishing in his demise. These soft passages stimulate the listener's most human impulses, the narrative carnage peeling back to show our wounded king in his most harrowing and decrepit of states. This could easily have been the album's stumbling block- instead, these moments are some of its most impressive, an ornate complement to an already regal scope. These mellow waters draw out the horsehair worms of nihilistic, desperate aggression deep within this insect of a king.

For such a luscious and vibrant approach- replete with such tender, almost whimsical instrument choices- 'Blessed He With Boils' maintains an impressively unhygienic tone. Sam Meador and Matthew Earl's vocals bubble with disease- not just in their phlegm-drenched black metal croaks and screams, but in their agonised clean wailing. The grandiosity of a disaffected orchestral heaven looks down upon the feverish mortal miasma of operatic grief and tremolo-riffing panic, taunting our tragedian protagonist with visions of power and prosperity. This contradiction is further maintained by the gorgeous poeticism of the lyrics; it is prodigal to oscillate between such contrasting and opposing perspectives, veering back at times into distant narration, while eschewing any corniness or confusion.

Without a dull moment, this thrilling masterpiece of metal storytelling defies the most florid and desperate efforts of my vocabulary's descriptive powers. Their intuitive approach to sound design stands out in an ocean of homogenous competitors. They deliver their narrative with such gusto, such raw, elentlessly emotive passion, it is impossible not to become rapt in their immersive narrative. Every song, every moment is pristine. There are very few albums- very few symphonies, stories full stop!- which capture their arc with such gorgeous precision. 'Blessed He With Boils' perfects absolutely everything I adore about symphonic extreme metal.

Xanthochroid is an epic black metal band that strives to produce the most sophisticated and enthralling compositions in the metal scene today. Taking influence from bands like Emperor, Opeth, Moonsorrow, Wintersun, and many others; Xanthochroid combines many styles into a blackened cloud of legendary metal might. Not for the casual listener, but for the true metal connoisseur who demands more depth, more detail, and more musicality than what is out there today. Xanthochroid's music demands repeat listening and a discerning ear.

Combining the best elements of several different styles, Xanthochroid’s second release is a prime example of something being greater than the sum of it's parts. Telling the tale of two brothers in a fantasy setting created by the band’s keyboardist, Blessed He With Boils picks up where Incultus left off, although it’s not necessary to have heard that to appreciate what Xanthochroid has done here (but it is worth picking up as well). Truth be told, you don’t need to follow the story if you don’t want to, allowing the music to sweep you away; some of their influences may be obvious, but Xanthochroid has come up with something all their own. Epic may be an overused term, but that’s how Blessed He With Boils sounds. Epic and awesome.

After the atmospheric acoustic intro “Aquatic Death Gate Existence“, the title song “Blessed He with Boils” sets things very clear from the beginning. Beautiful, epic melodic synth based black metal, with many progressive elements and a wide variety of vocals is what the band offers.And they are absolutely perfect in what they do! Their music is very complex and variable, since the rhythm and mood inside compositions change constantly.

Synths and guitars are of equal importance for their melodies and their cooperation is so balanced and natural that everything sounds as an inseparable part of a metal orchestra. Acoustic guitars and instrumental parts are widely used; there are 4 acoustic songs, including the wonderful “Winter’s End” for which the band released it’s first official video. Their epic fantasy atmosphere is highlighted with Sam’s amazing vocals! He can sing almost everything, from black metal screams and epic clean vocals, to a softer melodic almost romantic neoclassical style, with vocal qualities really uncommon for the genre! There are totally 10 songs in the album lasting for 58 minutes. It is better though to see this album as a big composition, since there are some main themes repeated in various songs. The band has worked many years in the compositions and spent almost one year in recording studio in order to perfect every detail. At least the result rewards their efforts!

There’s only one album I've listened to more than this one, which will be last in my list.

At the end of every year I look for all the "best albums of the year" lists to check the good underground metal releases that I missed. That's exactly the way I found about Xanthochroid's music.

All the songs on this record are perfectly composed and arranged to fit the wide spectrum of Xanthocrhoid's music. Going from epic black metal to folky sections and extreme progresive stuff, this is a non-stopping masterpiece. Most of the reviews here had already described Blessed He With Boils' music accurately. A mixture of early Emperor and Opeth, a healthy dose of acoustic folk and a clear symphonic approach in the style of old Dimmu Borgir. I personally hear a lot of influence coming from Jari Maenpaa (Ensiferum, Wintersun) in the guitar composing style.

There are no fillers here. For this guys the symphonic tag is not just an excuse to throw some random keyboards to the mix as an attempt to cover the songs' weaknesses. No, the whole instrumental section is well thought to complement the story and the vocals. I'm aware that many metalheads have a certain reticence with this sub-genre because a lot of symphonic bands tend to overuse those elements to the point of exageration without any artistic purpose within the song. You can bet this is not the case.

Another thing that I really liked about this album was the vocal work. There are a lot of clean sections mixed with powerful black metal shrieks. Watching videos on you tube I found that most of the members contributed to the vocals and the folk instrumentation (Watch their Wintersun cover, the drummer's voice is great!) Xanthochroid’s music reminded me of many bands and of none at the same time. They've succeeded in creating an atmosphere strongly rooted on their previously cited masters, but without falling into the plagiarism trap.

The production is top notch, just as the musicianship. The distorted diminished chords sound so powerfull and clear at the same time. The vocals are perfectly mixed and the drums are concrete and powerfull during the album...Maybe the bass recording gets lost intermitently on the mix, but it does not take away the final quality of Blessed He With Boils.

My absolute favourite tracks are Winter's End, Long Live our Lifeless King and In Putris Stagnum. Check this album if you enjoy melodic/symphonic black metal with little touches of folk and progressive music. Totally recommended.

(The following review was written for http://hollywoodmetal.com/)

California quintet Xanthochroid’s debut album, “Blessed He With Boils”, is a combination of everything that’s right with modern metal. It is sophisticated, yet savage, theatrical without being silly, and virtuoso, but not self-indulgent. It takes all of the best aspects of forward-thinking bands like Emperor and Opeth and executes them marvelously while maintaining an original artistic voice. The modern metal landscape is saturated with bands trying to be as loud and/or technical as possible in a desperate attempt to be noticed, but Xanthochroid elects to set themselves apart from the crowd by emotionally engaging the listener with musical and lyrical drama.

The album is a vehicle for frontman Sam Meador’s story of two warring siblings vying for their dead father’s throne. It is gripping narrative that the band brings to life with an impressive musical palette and skillful, nuanced performances. Savage growls and shrieks alternate with soaring cleans and somber chants, delicate acoustic passages rise from the ashes of fearsome guitar salvos, and punishing kick drum assaults stand in stark contrast to capricious piano flourishes. Meters and rhythms shift effortlessly and an expansive range of dynamics and tonalities prevent the music from feeling stale or trite.

The album is not style without substance though, because at the core of the grandiose neo-Romanticism is a collection of well-crafted songs. “Long Live Our Lifeless King” may be a nearly nine-minute labyrinth of riffs, but it’s built upon a compelling refrain. “In Putris Stagnum” revolves around a similarly infectious chorus as well as a serpentine, tremolo-picked riff that demands headbanging. That being said though, this is a far cry from pop music. The songs are not simple collections of verses and choruses, but rather living things that evolve, grow, and flow into each other in a way that obscures their beginnings and endings.

If this album has a flaw, it’s the lack of a strong musical narrative to match the lyrical one. Outside of a common harmonic palette and a couple of modest instrumental quotes in “Aquatic Deathgate Existence” and “In Putris Stagnum”, there isn't much tying the songs together, musically speaking. The use of some leitmotifs would have really completed the picture, so to speak.

Driven by theatrical themes like betrayal, alienation, and despair, “Blessed He With Boils” is a bonafide black metal opera and a compelling voyage that will leave you both exhausted and hungry for more. I won’t spoil the fates of the story’s young aristocracy, but with this album Xanthochroid have certainly secured their place among modern metal royalty.

It’s not often, or rather often enough, that a band manages to sound intrinsically unique, particularly in the realm of symphonic black metal. This is especially true when the majority of their disparate elements are inspired by other well-known entities generally within the same aesthetic sphere. Thus, it’s my genuine pleasure to present Xanthochroid, a group of Californian lads that have struck me rather dumb with their pleasurably, legitimately epic amalgamation of melodic/symphonic/progressive black metal. Blessed He With Boils is the band’s first full-length release, and a monstrous one at that, both in terms of composition and general ambition. This is a concept album based on a self-created fantasy world, with well-written lyrics from the point of view of multiple characters, dealing with issues like power and betrayal. It’s the music here, however, that really lends majesty to their conjured universe, as this is a diverse, exciting album literally full of ideas. Even if many of these are harvested from more visible groups, the approximation of it all is immensely pleasing, and quite distinct at that.

I’m most heavily reminded of Ihsahn, both in the progressive, wintry nature of much of the riffing, and the fantastic vocals of also-keyboardist Sam Meador, a vibrant scowling rasp that sounds kingly and violent, with points garnered for both extremity and pronunciation. However, the entirety of the group must be lauded for the vocals, as they trade off leading positions to marvelous effect. There are the aforementioned Ihsahn yowls, Abbath-like croaks, some ravenous death growls, a bevy of choral arrangements, and even a generous host of soaring, avian cleans, lending favorable comparisons to ICS Vortex or Vintersorg. These don’t just take turns leading, but are often intelligently and passionately layered to create engaging, often dualistic sensations. When the reptilian scowls reach an apex over momentous, resonant chorus sections, or overlay the atmosphere-piercing cleans, it feels fucking good.

The level of compositional differentiation is not limited to vocals, either, as the music itself shows a similar attention to variety and detail, utilizing a host of techniques to manifest exciting, dynamic songs that manage to feel distinct from each other while still serving the over-arching motif of royal, almost classical darkness, of forlorn wintry majesty. There are sections of snow-storm tremolo blasting, creeping valleys of dense atmospherics, and colorful crescendos. Aesthetically, it most resembles the later works from Emperor, but not nearly as avant-garde. Not so much black metal, as it is blackened metal, if you will. Whatever tone or pace the band shift to throughout this near-on hour of music, however, it’s always compelling, and moreover, has an impeccable sense of flow. By virtue of variety and well-composed structuring, Blessed He With Boils actually feels like a story, each song a chapter unto its own, building and releasing a great amount of tension with ease. Xanthochroid remind me of a black metal answer to Rhapsody, if more in concept than delivery, an epic fantasy metal journey laced with choruses, keys, pomp and vibrato. Xanthochroid, however, rather than feeling punishingly cheesy, hold true to the classic fundamental feelings of their chosen genre, conveying both ornate grandeur and stirring, snow-blasted chaos in equal quantities. For these reasons, they will also strike the fancy of those enamored by groups like Borknagar, and even Wintersun.

Assisting the structural integrity in remaining dynamic are a number of more spacious, relaxed interludes, both in the form of legitimate interlude tracks and effective down-tempo sections within some of the more lengthy compositions themselves. This can make the album feel like a bit of a slow starter, admittedly, as only roughly 7 of the first 15 minutes are actually metal, but everything is just so well-written, performed, and produced, that it’s a negligible concern. Through minimal, brooding choir segments, acoustic guitars, and atmospheric keyboard summonings, the material all feels exciting and natural, and you just know something awesome is around the next corner, without fail. It also sounds damn good, as this journey is conveyed through an extremely polished production soundscape. The riffing swirls, ripples and pulses like bright, icy energy, ornamented in the classical-minded keys as they intertwine to emanate vast vistas. The drumming is punchy and creative, and as mentioned prior, the layering effects of the vocal styles feel great. The bass tends to get overshadowed during the more harried moments, and could have been mildly more pronounced in general, but its pulsating curvature is satisfying enough, its lines hovering just below the surface like bulbous pockets of warmth in the icy tundra.

As for other knit-picks, a few of the riffs in and of themselves weren’t equally exciting or memorable, but it's realistically the difference between great and awesome, and given the amount of interesting happenings at any given point, I’m totally reaching here. Really, I never got a sense of boredom or disappointment with this album, at any point. Blessed He With Boils is just so good. It’s just so absolutely fucking good, any mild complaints fall by the wayside as you’re swept off into this land of blackened escapism, of royalty and winter, into battling storms and warm, creative piano embellishments. Xanthochroid have proven their music to be utterly engaging, and moreover, exciting, not a sensation I get often with this genre anymore. Though many will likely disagree with the exact tag, as this is effectively closer in spirit to Blind Guardian than it is to Gorgoroth, this is absolutely one of the best black metal releases of the year (or black’ened’, if you prefer), standing nearly shoulder to shoulder with Eremita from the mighty Ihsahn himself. It’s that good. Is there room for improvement? Of course, as just with virtually any other album, some parts feel stronger and more memorable than others, but the quality here is so consistent and pleasing that it’s become a fast favorite, and likely will not leave my ‘go-to’ rotation for years to come.

Blessed He With Boils is one of the biggest treats of 2012, an unknown band knocking it right out of the park on their very first album. It’s classy, explorative, varied, and addictive, not to mention incredibly musical. It often feels transcendental of metallic borders, tastefully dipping its toes into many classical streams, and integrating those influences with passion and care. Those of you with inclinations toward epic, progressive, blackened textures in your extremity will definitely want to give this band your attention. I’d even recommend it to open-minded power metal fans who can handle some harsh vocalizations, as the flavor of fantasy runs hot through these veins. I’m ridiculously stoked this band sought me out, and I’ll be spinning this all winter long, a perfect companion for the cold lonely months. Bands don’t often reach (or even come close to) the level of quality of the bands they emulate, but in Xanthochroid’s case, we could be looking at one of the brightest futures in the whole genre. Hopefully they can get out on tour with some bigger bands and show the world what they're made of. So, with finality, I tell you to go buy this fucking album, because that way maybe we can get a follow-up, and I’d positively love to see this spark of creativity and ingenuity become a legitimate inferno, rather than just another funeral pyre.

-Left Hand of Dog
http://reaperdivision.blogspot.com/

On first listen, Blessed He With Boils is quite a lot to take in, an album of enormous ambition and magnitude which spares no expense in either production qualities or musical complexity. Not that the Californians are composing very 'difficult' or inaccessible pieces here, but there can be no question that a great deal of time was spent penning, refining and laying down nearly an hour of epic/melodic black metal with some obvious progressive leanings that point to Scandinavian influences as broad as later Emperor, Winds, Arcturus, Opeth, even symphonic/tinged pagan extreme metal outfits like Wintersun or Ensiferum. Specifically, the soaring clean vocals and the atmospheric embellishments brought to mind the Borknagar material post-The Archaic Course, but there are some differences in how the riffs are constructed and Xanthochroid is certainly a more dynamic entity overall.

Rather than dive into preexisting mythologies or popular fantasy fare, they've conceptually spun the two from the imagination of vocalist/keyboardist Sam Meador, and built their own, fertile world from which to pluck lyrical inspiration. To the fantasist or escapist listener, this is immediately appealing, rather than revamping the tired ideology often expressed through black or pagan metal, but to be truthful, I was just far more impressed with the actual consistency and proficiency of the music itself. Gleaming and delicate acoustic guitars, sweeps of symphonic synthesizer elegance, and rolling tribal percussion are all delivered in a solid ratio to the more metallic components, which involve fits of melodic black/death tremolo picking sequences, airier bouts with atmospheric dissonance, and scads of variation in the tempos and eloquent note progressions which ensures that, despite the substantial amount of content, the album rarely feels dull or overlong. I'm not claiming that every single lick through the course of this disc is infinitely memorable, or that the individual ingredients feel unique unto themselves, but the combination thereof creates an exceptional landscape of possibilities through which to voyage far and wide.

The studio mix is a major factor, with a lot of clean, crisp sounding guitars that sustain their potency through the chords, mutes and speedier passages; all measured cautiously against the swerving, dreamy bass lines and the impeccable, professional pummeling of the drums. The vocals are arranged beautifully, whether pursuing the I.C.S. Vortex like wail in the cleaner inflection, the harsher Ihsahn rasps, dirtier guttural grunts, or even the layered choirs which give the uncanny effect of some heathen rock opera. The synthesizers use a lot of strings and pianos rather than spacier ambient effects, which is why it definitely nails that Norwegian comparison I hinted at earlier, but these are all handled tastefully. I did feel as if there were a few too many 'setup' sequences in terms of how phrases felt like intros (or outros), and the album might have withstood 5-10 minutes of trim, but then again these don't necessarily detract from its value if you're interested in a more thorough escape. I also wouldn't have minded a few stickier lead guitars in the depths of the longer tracks, but there's so much happening in a piece like "Long Live Our Lifeless King" or "Rebirth of an Old Nation" that you'll hardly notice.

In summation, this record is damn likely to blow a good number of people out of their chairs, and fans of melodic, majestic modern black metal ala Ne Obliviscarus, Cormorant or the past decade of Borknagar records would do well to keep their ears and eyes on this one.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com