After a collaboration giving rise to four full-length albums, a compilation and two EPs, the union of Aethyrick and The Sinister Flame is no more. As the fire of the label was unfortunately quenched, Aethyrick had to seek a new partner for the release of their fifth album. And thus we find ‘Death is Absent’ under the wings of a new partner, the renowned End All Life Productions.
Those that have followed the development of Aethyrick over the past albums will find comfort in knowing what to expect from the band. Melodic Black Metal in the vein of Cosmic Church, Alghazanth and Thy Serpent infused with a rich layer of atmospheric keyboards has been a successful formula for the band. And on ‘Death is Absent’ the band does not stray far from that sound, staying in the vein of the last full-length ‘Pilgrimage’ and the following EPs ‘’The Seventh’ ‘Kolme Veljestä’. Rich and meandering tremolo melodies, atmospheric cosmic keys, dynamic drums and hoarse vocals have become the trademark sound for the band, and with their most recent album they continue to hone their craft to perfection. That is not to say that ‘Death is Absent’ is devoid of any progression. It is arguably the most atmospheric, or rather emotional of the albums, bearing the melancholy even more deeply. At the same time, the expansive melodies feel even more transcendent, striking a more soothing and grandiose tone than ever before.
The harshness contained in the music of Aethyrick still burns brightly, and track such as ‘The Fire that Sires the Sun’, ‘Empyrean Silver’ and ‘The Hands of Fate’ contain a degree of grim, almost chugging heaviness within them to contrast the open harmonies. The keyboards seem to have become a more organic part of the sound, at times providing a chanting background, but now also claiming their role in the spotlight once and again. And so does the bass, whose frivolous play seems to add an additional layer to the textured sound. And so, the quality of ‘Death is Absent’ lies in the expansion and maturation of the sound that the band has built in their years of existence, culminating into the most multifaceted of their releases.
The admirable quality of writing entrancing melodies combined with an increasing feeling for the right atmosphere has led to another remarkable Aethyrick record. With ‘Death is Absent’, the band manages to maintain a sound that is truly their own, quite a feat in the current Black Metal scene where melody and atmosphere are so thriving.
