Two years in the past, Dawn of Ouroboros launched The Artwork of Morphology to large important acclaim, with the California natives getting props for bringing melodic components to the usually asymphonic world of black steel. Now, in 2023, they’ve returned with their sophomore effort, Velvet Incandescence, and so they proceed to marry components of the symphonic and the progressive with black steel, leading to a kinetic sonic growth that is certain to please die-hard steel followers.
If nothing else, vocalist Chelsea Murphy has vary. Murphy goes from the spritely and ethereal (“Velvet Moon”) to the uncooked and downright nasty (“Rise from Disillusion”) with little difficulty. Sonically, too, the album is combined fairly expertly, with seamless transitions between the tracks that offers Velvet incandescence an almost-cinematic really feel.
The standout monitor, after all, is the lugubrious, searing “Testudines,” which additionally served because the third single off the file. And it is the inspiration for this monitor, particularly, that may blow steel followers away, as Dawn of Ouroboros co-founder (and lead guitarist) Tony Thomas says that the band borrowed from greater than just a little little bit of jazz music when fascinated with all the things from the tune construction to Murphy‘s supply.
“The entire band exhibits off our means to play at excessive tempos whereas holding our tune construction melodic and coherent. Vocally, Chelsea makes use of a number of types to indicate off her abilities. Along with her use of her signature black steel shrieks, brutal lows, in addition to her robust sense of melody along with her clear singing. That is one we positively can’t need to carry out reside!” he said in a statement about its release.
But, for all of its sonic variety, Dawn of Ouroboros by no means sounds disjointed or in any other case messy on Velvet Incandescence. Murphy‘s voice is clear and well-trained, and the band as a unit is tighter than a snare drum (which is, maybe, unsurprising, provided that the band is collectively staffed with heavy steel veterans on the 21st-century scene). And whereas definitely removed from excellent, the band is not afraid to embrace potential progress.
Granted, black steel purists will in all probability discover their fair proportion of criticisms with Velvet Incandescence, as it’s absolutely not a “pure” black steel album. However for individuals who can placed on their headphones and easily get pleasure from a rockin’ good time, Dawn of Ouroboros greater than delivers whereas avoiding the sophomore stoop.
