ALBUM REVIEW: Emergence – Symbolik

Death metallers SYMBOLIK dropped their debut album Emergence, their follow up to their 2011 EP Pathogenesis. Drawing huge similarities to recent releases from THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER and BEHEMOTH for their technical take on death metal and for the melody they bring to the extreme genre, which those two icons of metal have moved towards themselves. Soaring guitars, lavish solos and blast-beats are the order of the day from SYMBOLIK, complemented by Chris Blackburn on vocals. Blackburn often switches between deeper growls and higher pitched screams even within single verse, which brings a sense of variety often missing from death metal bands – especially those on their first full length release like this US group are. Even those legends mentioned before took time to evolve into complexity, with most bands beginning by simply attempting raw brutality.

SYMBOLIK also showcase their talent by adding in some atmospheric use of synthesizers and electronics which will resonate strongly amongst fans of acts such as DIMMU BORGIR. This helps the band evolve beyond the traditional four instruments, and lends weight to their description of Emergence as “an auditory epic of sorts.” The addition of the synths makes the album flow better, creating an uneasy dark atmosphere that lingers long after the last beat of a drum, and while it helps complement the album in an entirety the band make certain not to overshadow their own talent by relying too much on synth work – instead utilising it as an addition to the minutiae of the album rather than driving songs on its own – a technique that can be used to great success but that has also led to technically great albums being overshadowed by an over-reliance on electronics.

Brandon Clevenstine’s drumming is clearly the driving force behind the progress of the album. While there is potential for the epic looping guitar solos to overwhelm the music and lose focus, Clevenstine’s clever footwork and blast-beats always bring the song back to it’s core. There is also excellent use of timing on this album – with Blackburn’s vocals often taking a break and allowing the rest of the band time to breathe, with Allen Burton and Taylor Whitney having plenty of time to shine on guitar. This is an album that prides itself on its technicality and complexity alongside the band’s ability to meld brutality and melody to create a death metal album that is not overly abrasive, yet sacrifices none of its power.

This couldn’t be described as accessible as such – very few death metal is – however there is plenty here for non-fans of extreme metal to enjoy, especially from the aforementioned musicians. This record is also incredibly well crafted, and flows like an ancient epic. The band describe the album as “focussing closely on strong melodic passages it has been designed to carry the listener through an emotive and memorable experience, leaving them with a unique and long-lasting connection.” Whilst the last element of that passage may vary from listener to listener, the album is undeniably emotive, and the melody behind it is certainly the most interesting aspect – setting it apart from the eons of underground death metal bands vying to be as abrasive as possible.

Whilst some traditional death metal fans will dismiss SYMBOLIK as being sell-outs or not ‘true death metal’ because of their melody, Emergence is one of the most interesting extreme albums released this year. Moving away from the traditional tried and true constant barrages of noise into a more complicated give and receive structure of melody and brutality means this album will resonate further than solely with the death metal faithful. Fans of recent THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER albums should definitely be checking this out, as should anyone who wishes death metal would add in something a bit more experimental.

Rating: 8/10

Emergence is set for release April 10th via The Artisan Era.

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