ALBUM REVIEW: Rending The Veil Of Flesh – Formicarius
Since their initial conjuring in 2015, FORMICARIUS have been carving their way through the undergrounds of British black metal like a cleaver through a carcass. Having a successful UK tour, a commendable debut album and live shows with genre heavyweights like HATE and HECATE ENTHRONED its no wonder this quartet of witch-trial fanatics are purging the scene with hell fire and sin. With the upcoming release of their latest incantation Rending The Veil Of Flesh soon approaching, will these heathens be proven innocent or guilty?
Exactly as the album title suggests, opening track Beyond The Veil Of Flesh slices through your expectations: revealing crystal clear production that pulses rapidly to the onslaught of screeching guitar craft and sordid scriptures. In complete contrast the delicate charm of Dieu et Mon Droit eloquently sweetens the mix before turning sour with a relentless surge of fury that carries forth the melody in waves. There is no wonder that FORMICARIUS have amassed a legion of cultist followers as Within The Depths oozes heaviness while retaining the darkness and grit of titans such as DIMMU BORGIR. In the same sense that their Norwegian counterparts retain the harsh energy of black metal, the band keep the onslaught consistent yet don’t let it take away from the menacingly melodic traits of black metal.
Early Will I Seek Thee showcases the sheer commitment to musical skill as all four musicians push their boundaries afar with a plethora of commendable yet creative composition. The symphonic undertones creep closer to you in Inherit Our Sickness, an exciting mix of choral verses and grandiose musicianship emboldened with ever present guitar mastery. Both The Fourth Horseman and Stalker Among The Stars resemble something that would be forged by some sort of DIMMU BORGIR and AMON AMARTH super-group, taking the harmonic barrage of one and the consistent stomping rhythm of the other.
Bringing together the recent demonstration of musical proficiency, Crimson Purge revisits the sweetest parts of what has already been explored and re-imagines it to ensure tracks grow strong as individual songs as well as together as an album. By this point you imagine vocalist Lord Saunders as the heavily blackened twin of John Kevill from WARBRINGER but perhaps you don’t. Finally, O Dread Impaler keeps the energetic vibes spiking as it slowly develops from a continued melody driven onslaught into a harmonious outro reminding you that yes, Sakis from ROTTING CHRIST seasoned Rending The Veil Of Flesh with his musical blessing.
Like an entrancing ritual, this latest offering from FORMICARIUS is sure to take you into another dimension with its relentless yet fluid delivery. From haunting symphony laced song-craft to the rhythmic palpitations throughout; Rending The Veil Of Flesh is a truly grandiose black metal album that takes you on a musical journey to the grit and gore of the witch trials. By not pushing constant focus on the symphonic side like DIMMU BORGIR this British quartet has successfully forged a brand of black metal that is as unyielding as it is exquisite.
Rating: 8/10
Rending The Veil Of Flesh is set for release September 13th via Schwarzdorn Production.
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