FOR LIES I SIRE

Not knowing anything about this band other than what vagueness genre labels offer, I acquired this album not long after buying Between the Buried and Me's 2009 album The Great Misdirect on a whim (again, knowing nothing about the band), and I was really pleased with the record. Either my taste in music is expanding, or I've just been incredibly lucky on two recent occasions. But unlike the maniacal fury of Between the Buried and Me, this is slow, brooding, methodic doom metal- it's like a corpse being dragged through a field of black eyeliner brushes. The tone of the guitars is nearly perfect for me- not thickened by copious and sloppy overdrive, but rather using tasteful distortion and more than one instrument. Normally, Aaron Stainthorpe's vocal style would not please me, but his grave, almost spoken manner is dark and appealing because it blends so well with the atmosphere. Finally, there is the icing on this funeral cake- Katie Stone's violin is bittersweet and not overused, such that it is the perfect addition.

"My Body, a Funeral" Somber guitar and a deep male vocal begin the album in a sleepy fashion. The contrast of a warm violin and tasteful electric guitar is simply stunning- I was in awe the first time I heard it, and my reaction is similar even now. The heavier part of the piece still lumbers on, making effective use of disharmonic low string bends contrasted with dual guitar harmonies.

"Fall with Me" The bass drum flaps at a fast rate, lending haste to the rhythm, but the other instruments remain sludgy and unhurried. A barrage of drums and guitar underlies some restrained and melodic rhythms.

"The Lies I Sire" Following a deep, almost clean introduction, the band kicks in with all the heaviness that they will muster on this album- not fury, but density, which is a testament to how this band can create intensity using thickness instead of a charging rhythm (the opposite is no less an achievement).

"Bring Me Victory" The violin and drumming are simultaneous highlights. There's growling on this track, but it's understandable and works perfectly well with the sound of the band.

"Echoes from a Hollow Soul" Using those multiple guitar layers to create their heavy sound proves effective once more, but this time it all gives way to a somber piano and dual lead. It intersperses pleasant music with those dark, discordant bass note bends.

"ShadowHaunt" Although not a bad track, this piece is admittedly drearier than the others, and despite the agreeable clean guitar and noteworthy drumming, the music takes awhile to go somewhere. It arrives with razor-sharp guitars and a soaring violin, however.

"Santuario di Sangue" Following almost three minutes of music that is almost more of the same, the band jettisons the usual tricks, allowing for a cold, lonely violin to cry through for a spell, soon bringing the powerful guitars back in a steady rhythm. That melancholic violin returns for the conclusion.

"A Chapter in Loathing" Here the band flexes their extreme metal muscle, with deep vocal growls, overbearing guitars, and powerful drumming despite a moderate tempo. The violin is yet again an asset to the music. This time, however, the vocals almost ruin an otherwise competent composition.

"Death Triumphant" In the beginning of the album's final and lengthiest track, My Dying Bride sounds closer to typical progressive metal. When the distortion is eased out of the picture, what remains are a Tool-like riff and a chilling violin. The length is hardly noticeable since much of the piece is quite similar to the overall flavor of this album- all in all, a great work, but not their best from this excellent example of progressive doom metal.