Review: Triptykon - Melana Chasmata
[Century Media; 2014]
Rating: 8/10
By Justin Silk, Staff Writer
Key Tracks: "Boleskine House," "Breathing," "In The Sleep of Death"
When Celtic Frost released Monotheist in 2006, it was a rebirth for the band’s mastermind Thomas Gabriel Fischer, known as Tom G. Warrior. Fischer created a unique hybrid of death, black, gothic and doom metal that was drenched in sorrow and shrouded in darkness. Monotheist was sinister and absolutely powerful, as Fischer’s anger could be felt and his evil vibes were intoxicating.
Monotheist was an album that could not be contained, and upon Celtic Frost’s demise, Fischer felt compelled to continue in the same musical vein with his new project Triptykon. Triptykon released its debut album Emparistera Daimones in 2010 to immediate acclaim. The vision that Fischer started with Monotheist was fully realized on Triptykon’s very first album.
What is clear when listening to Triptykon’s sophomore effort is that Fischer might not have been as satisfied as his fans were with Emparistera Daimones. Melana Chasmata is an extension of Triptykon’s debut album and is everything that Fischer didn’t get to express with the band’s first effort.
From the very beginning, this record grounds itself with tunes that will sound familiar to fans of Fischer’s previous work. “Tree of Suffocating Souls” is a statement that Triptykon’s core identity has not changed from its first album. Fischer wants listeners to feel comfortable before he dives into the deeply rooted emotions of Triptykon’s soul. “Tree of Suffocating Souls” is heavy and features many of the musical trademarks for which Fischer has became known throughout the years.
The album’s second track is when Melana Chasmata takes on its own identity. “Boleskine House” is experimental for Triptykon, but still true to the band’s identity. The song is mid-tempo gothic metal at its core. The piece is spattered with beautifully dark moments that are emphasized by clean vocals and wistful guitar work. Every now and then Fischer’s hoarse rasp and chugging guitar take over to ground the song with a subtle aggression.
As a whole, Melana Chasmata is less aggressive and fast than the band's previous effort. Fischer’s gothic instincts take over on this album, leading to a more varied selection of songs that don’t always thrive on power. Melana finds musical comfort with mid-tempo and slow songs that use carefully accentuated sludgy guitar riffs.
Melana carries a long running time, and unfortunately the song variance doesn’t make the album feel any shorter. If the track listing had been adjusted, the album might have moved at an easier pace. The end of the record can feel like a chore to listen to, even though the music is excellent.
Triptykon's latest is fantastic all the way through. There is never a time when listeners will feel disinterested or unimpressed with the record, even though it is exhausting to listen to all at once. The softer songs are arguably the album’s most memorable tunes. “Boleskine House,” “Aurorae” and “Waiting” stand out just because they aren’t as grueling as the rest of the album.
However, that’s not to say that the aggressive tunes aren’t also incredible. “Breathing,” “In the Sleep of Death” and “Black Snow” in particular are absolutely breathtaking. These songs are some of the heaviest and most captivating metal songs that will be released by any band in 2014.
As far as sophomore records go, Triptykon totally nailed its return. Melana Chasmata is one of the best metal albums released so far this year and is arguably better than the band’s masterful debut. It may be a tough record to listen to all at once, but the experience is absolutely worth the effort.
