Review Summary: An interesting, if fragmented mash of styles.
A tasteful homage to the past, The Wakedead Gathering’s latest album,
Fuscus: Strings of The Black Lyre, picks at its discretion from an array of influences, eschewing conventional wisdom in the process. Old school death metal tropes are plentiful, but not to the point of being flagrant. Instead, elements bleed into one another, giving a new dimension to these works of old and rendering
Fuscus both eclectic and original. The overall aesthetic is borrowed from the Finns – the vocal delivery being reminiscent of early Adramelech, as is the guitar tone and the reverberant drumming. New York has a hand in here as well. The ominous riff barrages in “Amnioticysts” invoke Incantation, while the uses of pinch harmonics are an unmistakable hallmark of Immolation’s sound. “Lungwort” is a slower number that hinges on lingering melodies and staggering but catchy rhythms, very much in the vein of Autopsy’s
Severed Survival. Hell, even the bridge in “Blood from the Earth” sounds lifted from “Unquestionable Presence” by Atheist, but its role in the composition is entirely different. The question is “does it all work?”
Yes and no.
While it can be very interesting to pinpoint who, where and what a particular motif comes from,
Fuscus is lacking in cohesion. A lot of the songs tend to build on singular ideas for extended periods of time, making minor alterations and advancing smoothly, before changing things up rather abruptly. “Harrowed Column”
almost manages in making this approach work. A groovy, plodding riff builds momentum to near-terminal levels, before the tempo spikes and the mood is completely shifted halfway through. Subtle call backs keep the song grounded, and eventually the whole process grinds to a halt, paving the way for something devastating. Unfortunately, all that happens is that same plodding riff is reprised and the song fades out, leaving the whole ordeal feeling like a waste of energy. “An Ancient Tradition” compensates, thankfully. Multiple tempo shifts, ethereal leads, an oppressive atmosphere and intelligent, non-linear song-writing make for a breathtaking finale. Ultimately, the journey is worth it, but not unmissable. Certain cuts here reiterate that The Wakedead Gathering is more than capable of crafting a fine piece of work, but the weight of ambition is sometimes a little too much.
