BARREN EARTH - On Lonely Towers

April 8, 2015, 8 years ago

(Century Media)

Mark Gromen

Rating: 7.0

review black death barren earth

BARREN EARTH - On Lonely Towers

Shame these Finns are as languid as their music, for the 2010 debut immediately thrust them into the limelight for their brand of morose heaviness. But with just a lone follow-up (till now), much of the dew is (sadly) off the rose. Witness the opening “From The Depths Of Spring” instrumental, predominately cello and lone piano notes. Owing as much to Pink Floyd (“The Vault” closer) as Ihsahn and early Opeth, “Howl” fittingly re-introduces the death growl in counterpoint to clean vocals. Practically grinding to a halt, approaching its half-way point, suddenly it's back to life, courtesy of a wicked guitar lead and guttural bellow. At a mere 4:52 “Frozen Processions” is the shortest tune on an album where most clock in around seven minutes and a pair exceed eleven. It kicks off like countrymen Amorphis, the gruff vocalizations riding beneath the clean, coming to the fore only during the chorus.

More somber orchestral strings, to begin the meandering plod of “A Shapeless Derelict”, with it's suddenly soaring (think Dimmu Borgir counter, ICS Vortex) voice. “Set Alight” is an oxymoronic moniker, barely a spoken word walkabout, apart from a few moments. The mammoth titular piece, at a hair under twelve minutes, moves glacier like, on jangly guitars, whispers and exaggerated (not forceful) bass intonations. “The Ballad Of Dwight Frye” for 2015, if you like. “Chaos The Songs Within” seems from a different disc altogether, a more conventionally structured and executed death metal track that suddenly drops into acoustic mode. Just the kind of mind-fuck that Barren Earth are all about. Speaking of which, there's a saxophone solo in the midst of “Sirens Of Oblivion”! Take a walk on the wild side.



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