2023-12-11 08:00:29
(c) Lina Smarsch
Keep from stress As You Left Apparently very little, because the German quintet only presented its first album ten years following it was founded. However, people were happy to wait for this, because the previous small formats had already shown quite impressively that something pleasantly unique and independent was brewing here. The mix is called Blackened Metalcore and it sounds exactly as you would expect. „Silver Chains Golden Veins“ is a full-length, tailor-made debut.
The melodic poison of “Blades Turning” skillfully brings together the worlds that seem to be endlessly far apart. Furious, hoarse barking and gripping clear vocals come together, classic metalcore melodies receive an oppressive blackened treatment in installments. This game with the Nordic worlds comes through particularly well in the final act. The way “Lost Dreams” hints at lost, post-apocalyptic riffs and conjures up a washed-out shooting castle from them commands a lot of respect. In a completely unexpected way, very different ideas come together and inspire together.
This is exactly what is evident in the opening “Oblivion”. An overly long intro is a bit deceptive here, because as soon as As You Left explode out of the starting blocks, you think you’re looking at an explosive post-black mixture that succumbs more and more to common core concepts. Five and a half minutes of destruction, highly exciting solo approaches and a crushing finish put you in a good mood. “Laws Of The Ancient” also features a prominent lead guitar that keeps pushing forward as melodic black metal collides with modernity. And then there’s “Malevolent Deceit”, which perfects the core influence and juxtaposes it with extremely toxic nagging – a powerful combination.
After the first big wow effect, what actually belongs together comes together. With rare exceptions, As You Left put clichéd metalcore expectations aside, require comparatively little vocals and instead define themselves through biting to drooling heaviness. And it works great, because “Silver Chains Golden Veins” is incredibly fun. The omnipresent nastiness and danger of the album is convincing across the board and actually brings together two genres that you might not necessarily have expected together. With their first album, As You Left hit an exciting direct hit, which at the same time still leaves some room for improvement. You like to stay on the ball.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: December 15, 2023
Available via: AYL Records
Facebook: www.facebook.com/asyouleftband
Category: Magazin, Reviews
1702289097
#Left #Silver #Chains #Golden #Veins
