Chuck Schuldiner Project

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Aethyrick - Gnosis


I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I put on Aethyrick's Gnosis. I'm not super familiar with the band, nor do I know much about their label, The Sinister Flame, it just seemed like an interesting record to check out. After having spent some time plumbing it's depths, it has become clear to me that Gnosis is a very solid release, a record that ties into 2nd wave black metal tropes but isn't afraid to touch on modern prettiness here and there. Still, there is a lean-ness to Gnosis that ensures it remains vicious.

What gets me about Gnosis is the stellar use of melodic guitar lines. These are showcased throughout the album and give the music a sense of breadth that many of their peers lack. Toss in a few post black metal derived elements and you start to get a record that grows beyond the common limitations of traditional black metal. Nothing here is ground breaking but the execution is fabulous. The occult overtones help to cement this entire thing in a wonderfully evil context and are a fitting reminder to just how deep the work behind this record has gone. It's a far sight ahead of so many of their peers in the scene.

Gnosis is a record that revels in its dynamic shifts. It's an album that seems intent on bringing in elements to build on a traditional black metal background. As we start to look at how black metal is shaping up in 2020 - it's records like this one that give me hope. There is so much about Aethyrick that is simply mesmerizing, speaking to both the strength of the production and the vision behind the songwriting. If you have liked any sort of black metal over the last decade or so you will probably find something to love here.

Pre-order the record on Bandcamp!
https://sinisterflame.bandcamp.com/

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