Release Date: August 30th 2024. Record Label: Argonauta Records Formats: CD/DD
Vast Pyre - Self Titled: Tracklisting
1.Focus Deceased 09:23
2.Cataleptic 10:25
3.Revelation 09:59
4.Eternal Funeral 09:17
5.The Argent Tomb 11:25
Members
Ch. Wallstein – Vocals/Drums
A. Först – Guitar
Review
Psychedelic Doom Metallers Vast Pyre self-titled album feels like it was made within the BOWELS OF HELL or the DARKEST REACHES OF SPACE. As this record is considerably bleak with it’s down-tuned sounds and heavy reliance on blackened droned textures. There’s a ton of fuzzed out feedback and distorted guitars with subtle moments of Psych Rock, Post-Doom and Cosmic Stoner passages which feels like that the band were inspired by bands such as CONAN, SLOMATICS, UFOMAMMUT and SUNN 0))).
The album lasts around fifty minutes but feels genuinely longer and that’s down to the long drawn out where the music overlaps with harsher blackened grooves which come out to play within the exquisitely bleak first track Focus Deceased. The violent drums and solitary guitar create a heavy burst of sonic energy where the waves of AMPLIFIER FEEDBACK creative energy generates some ferocious sounding instrumental passages.
Vast Pyre play an unapologetic style of music that only becomes heavier, heavier and HEAVIER with each passing song as the band find their true calling by playing a disjointed and progressive style of Drone, Doom, Sludge and Stoner based music. The ambient themes becomes more apparent and richly observed on tracks such as Cataleptic, Revelation and the standout final track The Argent Tomb.
The band also adds elements of freaky sound effects and glitch based noises that causes an unsettling atmosphere. The lack of bass guitar was a risky and bold creative choice from the band as their music could have easily sounded soulless but it works for the mighty SLOMATICS and I’m happy to report this works brilliantly well here. This allows Vast Pyre to have a more primal and violent sound where the COSMIC parts of the record propel this album into some unexpected areas of HEAVY DOOM especially with the excellent raw sounding lead vocals.
Vast Pyre have aligned themselves with underground powerhouse label Argonauta Records who know a thing or two about defying audience expectations which Vast Pyre do so brilliantly well throughout their debut release.
The production values are unapologetic and quite violent that matches the whole tone of the album and with Esben Willems (MONOLORD and SLOWER) mastering the album then Vast Pyre have ultimately released a thrilling slice of APOCALYPTIC DOOM/STONER METAL that manages to be quite thought provoking and absolutely deafening at the same time.
Vast Pyre have delivered the goods with this outstanding debut album and this will no doubt impress the masses of the underground Doom/Stoner Metal scene.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Grand Sounds Promotion for the promo.
Vast Pyre elf Titled debut album is available to buy now on CD/DD via Argonauta Records.
Links
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