Reviews : Albums : Vespers Descent, "Visions in Verse"

Vespers Descent are a Swedish melodic death metal band from Australia. (Yup, you read that correctly) After touring in support of metal greats such as Mayhem and Opeth, this, their debut fell-length album, puts them squarely in my play rotation with them. Vespers Descent plays an excellent strain of the melodic death metal virus that sounds remarkably like a cross between "Genesis"-era Rotting Christ and "A Predator's Portrait"-era Soilwork, with more than a touch of Omnium Gatherum thrown in.

Vocalist Jack Wolski dispenses his well-crafted lyrics through a remarkably Sakis(Rotting Christ)-like throaty rasp, perfectly accentuating the beautiful dual melodic guitar charge of Shannon Over and Grant Burns. Dave Sandstrom's bass is not lost in the mix, as can be the tendency in guitar-centered bands; instead it gives the guitars a stage on which to work, and it takes the lead in more than one place. Mark Boejin's drums fit the music like a glove, accentuating the mix with copious amounts of double-bass where need be, while not delving into the world of blastbeats. Combine all of this with crystal-clear production and thought-provoking lyrics, and Vespers Descent are definnitely an up-and-coming band in the melodic death scene.

On their site, Vespers Descent hail themselves as "Western Australia's greatest melodic death metal band," and I am inclined to agree. In fact, I'd probably put them in the top 15 melodic death bands in the world, so if you're a fan of melodic death, you will like Vespers Descent, probably enough to buy their album. If not, go to their official website and download some of their songs, they may surprise you.

Standout Tracks    A Quantum Prayer

Adam.L