Review Summary: Opening the portal of clairvoyance.
Persefone have taken a much more ambitious road than they have before, which is quiet a bold statement considering this same band brought us "Core". Starting with the track "An Infinitesimal Spark" we're greeted with some very mechanical, processed spoken word in the vein of bands like Cynic. This paves the way for the entire record, showcasing an album shrouded in mysticism and ethereal beauty. Graceful pianos and crystal clean guitar arpeggios pierce the membranes of the mind until nothing is left but a hazy sense of eloquence, elevating one into a sense of transcendence. There are points where this reaches a slight amount of pretentiousness, however the sincere passion and unbridled sense of awe emanating from Marc Martins seraphical voice balances this.
There's something rather awe-inspiring in his voice. He accomplishes both a stark contrast between his raspy growls and cleans as well as a sense of familiarity. What presents such a similar mood is accomplished in such different ways. The powerful harsh vocals are equally as uplifting and rapturous as the much quainter, rather warm cleans. Marc does a spectacular job in managing to stay above the much more chaotic and unpredictable instrumentals without ever clashing. While the guitar work is hammering off notes like a swirling maelstrom, his voice just glides over seemingly without effort.
Off tracks like "Prison Skin" this is extremely prominent. Guitar work trades off between crushing austerity and exquisite shreds. On the turn of a dime, new riffs and solos emerge alongside rapid fire drum fills, while rarely seeming overbearing. There's something massive an epic of the album, and the biggest backbone lies in the guitar and drum work. It's so vibrant and invigorated, brimming with energy as powerful as the core of the sun. Even in it's moments where it seems to become ambiguous and perplexing due to its unpredictability it transitions into synths and pianos that are chill inducing. The same types of chills one gets when atop a mountain staring down the now seemingly small earth. The instruments are dizzying, powerful, beautiful seemingly all at the same time, inducing a sense of infinite euphoria.
The only thing that does this album a mild injustice are the Cynic like vocals. They are a welcoming opening to the album because they are rather mood setting, but when they appear once again through the first two minutes of "Living Waves" they create an awkward atmosphere that mildly disrupts the flow of the album. Thankfully, those warm alluring cleans emerge once again alongside wild drum fills and solos, and the album returns to form. Just like everything returns to form. That's what this album makes me think of-while the world is brandishing hate on its denizens, causing madness and rage and fear, the world is going nowhere. The hate clouds our vision, and it takes something as pure and eloquent as this to make things clear again.
