In our modern “dynamically changing” (these words are full of irony) word still there are some constant things: the sun rises and sets, winter change the summer and Italians Deathless Legacy release an album every year. So the coming 2018 is not an exception: in the beginning of the year their fourth LP ‘Rituals of Black Magic’ will see the light.
So, ‘Rituals of Black Magic’ is an imposing work, which contents 11 songs, an intro “The Grimoire” and organ interlude “Read The Bones”.
An album opens with sinister keyboards, sounds of string instruments and evil gnarling voices – “The Grimoire” sets the right mood for listeners and turns to the same named with an album “Rituals Of Black Magic” with smooth riffs, keyboards solos and melodic chorus.
Generally, keyboards, as it was in previous albums, are dominating. Alessio Lucatti often plays solos on a par with guitarist Gianni Capecchi; sometimes instead of him, for example in “The Abyss” or “Homunculus”.
It needs to be said separately about “Vigor Mortis” (“Power Of Death” according to a Google Translator): it seems that in this song musicians decided to show all their skills and bring all what they got. Smooth rhythm in verse changing with bacchanalia in choruses, Steva’s vocals are going from grim to pathetic and majestic and piano solo on the background of double pedal and hammering guitar is beyond praise.
Next “Bloodbath” starts with a fast waltz and quickly going to thrashy riffs and melodic vocals. A lots of synth sounds in “Hex” is taking music somewhere to modern metal. Well and melodic “Litch” is different by male vocals and simple but impressive guitar solo.
An album ends with epic (eight minutes approximately) and dark “Dominus Inferi” (“Master Of Inferno”): throughout the whole song Steva leads the narrative with her ominously-hysterical style, and choruses are pathetic.
On the whole, musically the band has grown significantly: more complex arrangements, instrumental and vocal parties and the whole approach to the music. But there is another side of the coin: if ‘The Gathering’ was some kind of “scary circus”, where audience has come to get scary and ‘Dance With Devils’ was a tragedy (even frightening), so now things got serious. ‘Rituals of Black Magic’ is not a game of black magic, occultism and other related things, but an attempt to be a serious part of it. And this seriousness ruins everything. Don’t get me wrong, but Deathless Legacy favorably differed from other bands in their theatricality and the ability to transmit this theatricality in the records. But after this album still I got a feeling that the band seeks to be another occult metal band, which are enough.
‘Rituals Of Black Magic’ will be released on January, 19 by Scarlet Records.
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