Review Summary: Enter the labyrinth.
Icarus flew too close to the sun, got burned, then left an important lesson behind that metal bands the world over quickly forgot when toying with atypical instruments. The common target of derision tends to be the saxophone--
boy did that poor bastard get run into the ground practically overnight--but pick any other, uhm, ‘unconventional’ element and it’s likely been used, abused, and morphed into a long-gone-sour gimmick (see: your neighborhood death-metal-plus-violin band). It never had to be this way, but the stars shining above are oh-so alluring, and in a music market placing high value on cheap novelties that give an impression of innovation, everything from the kitchen sink to the family Roomba is fair game. While glancing at the credits for
Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed is enough to prompt a fight-or-flight response--we’ve got several different types of harps, flutes, a Thai phin, a Puerto Rican cuatro, dear God pull the plug ASAP--what follows is shockingly cohesive and engaging. No matter how crowded Fleshvessel make their intricate arrangements, nothing about their unique, classical-inspired style is disingenuous; the Illinois gents are capable of constructing gorgeous, winding passages through eerie and sometimes otherworldly realms while delicately balancing their multifaceted approach, thereby avoiding getting torched by their ambitions.
These Chicago lads indeed come armed with a lengthy list of ingredients, but their contributions are cleverly woven into their old-school death metal framework. Everything, from the omnipresent keys to the variety of string instruments, is merged into a cohesive unit where every motion feels deliberate. Songs can evolve in any manner of directions; for its part, “The Void Chamber” frolics through a punishing groove on the heels of a graceful introduction, erupts into melodic tones, crashes into pure death metal aggression, then unexpectedly leaps headlong into an explosion of horns--all while a laundry list of classical instrumentals swell in the background, gently urging the tune onward while clashing against the guitar assault. Opening number “Winter Came Early” minimizes the aggression in favor of a more nuanced approach, allowing a haunting piano, dramatic strings, and a soaring melody to convey the album’s themes of humanity’s struggle for betterment. The track wanders through acoustic landscapes buoyed by a lingering fretless bass, eventually trudging through the mire of doom metal before finally opening the floodgates to an onslaught of spiraling death metal riffs. And that’s the Cliffnotes(™) version of events; pick any moment out of
Yearning and it’s
busy, bringing an armada of flutes or 90s-esque death metal pandemonium to the fray in an imposing blend of sounds.
Though primarily composed of four epics--chief among them the titanic closing tune “Eyes Yet To Open”--nothing about
Yearning comes across as bombastic for the sake of an overblown spectacle. It’s an impressive feat considering how much is thrust into action; no aspect of the group’s output is given preferential treatment in an appropriately rugged, albeit clear production that permits everything from bass noodling to the occasional piccolo to thrive. Indeed, a level of unpredictability comes in the labyrinthine corridors Fleshvessel erect--their modulating, layered methodology generates caverns of limitless depths--but progressions are seamless ventures despite the bustling mix. The entirety of “A Stain” is dedicated to an elongated crescendo that subtly builds off of filthy Phlebotomized-esque passages, using the supporting classical instruments to create a haunting atmosphere. It embarks upon multiple momentum shifts en route to a thrilling conclusion, dousing the scenery with compelling melodies that pierce through the LP’s melancholic aura. Aforementioned “Eyes Yet To Open” dazzles with technical flair and gorgeous piano passages, eventually culminating in a despairing finale that’s gradually escorted into an uncertain distance by the keys. The odyssey that the audience takes to reach such points is full of wonders to behold, and Fleshvessel’s attention to detail ensures there are few, if any bumps along the way.
The only curious fault observed in the band’s complex compositions is their employment of programmed drums. When surrounded by immensely talented musicians and their creative songwriting, the percussion seems like an afterthought, and it is frequently lost in the more fast-tempo ventures of the disc where the chaos spikes. Atypical-instrument-mixing maestros a la Unexpect were never known for their drumming in particular, but they could deliver jazzy, off-kilter rhythms at will to infuse extra intrigue into tracks. Occasions do arise where this strange gap in the group’s arsenal is especially glaring--one can’t help but imagine how an organic performance may have injected further variety and character into proceedings--but it never fully detracts from the stunning soundscapes that populate
Yearning. Rarely do metal bands dabble in symphonics in such an astoundingly subtle manner, especially when the game has dramatically tilted towards spectacle overdose as of late--point fingers at Lorna Shore, I guess--and rarer still do such acts artfully incorporate classical elements as smoothly as they’re integrated here. Fleshvessel never lose the forest for the trees or get blinded by the sun’s glamor; their death metal framework remains robust, and their army of contributing instruments is precisely stitched into it. This is far from a carnival of gimmicks, and stands as a unique offering in the 2023 metal scene.
