genres: death metal + progressive rock
for fans of: Vildhjarta, King Crimson, Between The Buried And Me
Black Crown Initiate play a style of metal that’s hard to nail down. Much more accessible than many of their more technical brethren, their style offers a blend of the immediacy of deathcore tempered by retro takes on progressive rock. Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape is easily Black Crown Initiate’s best work to date. Offering a loosely conceptual story of a corrupt monarchy, the album cloaks sensitive and often avoided topics beneath a typically bombastic veneer.
Opening track “Invitation” immediately introduces the band’s modus operandi for this album. Softer passages bearing a striking resemblance to King Crimson’s 1969 Into the Court of the Crimson King frame heavier passages consistent with modern death metal. Though not offering much range, the growls throughout the album are very comprehensible, and offer a perfect contrast to the theatrical, almost operatic cleans that feature prominently on most tracks. “Trauma Bonds” offers one of the more interesting compositions, as a bright chorus over softly strummed chords interrupts the heavy technical work going on in the verse. This willingness to experiment with traditional song elements in unexpected places offers another call back to the early progressive bands that so clearly influence the structural and cleaner portions of the album.
Album highlight “Death Comes in Reverse” stretches the band’s repertoire again, opening with gothic overtones over bluesy riffs. Vocals are layered to a great extent throughout, adding almost rapped growls and spoken word elements to the mix. While motifs and lyrical themes recur, The instrumental and compositional structure always churns forward. Overall, Black Crown Initiate have crafted an album that simultaneously offers a relatively easy entrance to extreme music and offers new complexities for experienced listeners.
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