The back story for this quintet makes for an interesting read in itself. Jarle H Olsen (lead guitars) and Frank Natås (guitars) were in a Metallica tribute band for nearly 10 years before deciding on forming a band of their own and recording the guitars and lead in Askoey, Norway. They enlisted Chilean friends Rodrigo García Solocuerdas (bass) and Cristián Carrasco Lara (drums) as session musos for the recording of their part of the album in Santiago, Chile. While back in Bergen, Norway the vocals were recorded by Tore Christer Storlid (vocals/bass/guitar). This international effort is the reason it took the album 2 years to record and a further year to release.
The 9 track offering opens with “Carpe Demon” immediately blasting in with a ferocious drum attack and vicious guitar riffs only to be accompanied by some rather abrasive vocals, but after a moment the tempo reduces slightly, the guitars become more melodic and the vocals a bit more operatic in timbre with varied high notes being reached with little apparent effort.
Title track “The Pitch Black Reality” commences a steady climb in pace to that of the verse where the guitars chug along happily through their riffs. The lead break is played over subtle drums and quiet accompanying guitars before it all builds again for the outro.
A sharp quickly changing riff drives “Tool Of War” before it too mellows for the lead to stand out in all its glory as it’s played with speed and precision and great finesse.
“Red Light” is mid-to-slow paced number with some almost spoken vocals and is the first time you hear a little strain in Tore’s voice, but I also happen to think that is completely intentional as it adds to the feel of the song.
Getting straight back on the pace is “Truth Denied” where the lead is played at a blistering speed and the melodic vocals work as a complete contrast to the harshness of the song. Keeping the speed up “The Throne” also has a very Testament sounding lead melody, which in my book in never a bad thing.
The roller-coaster ride that is “Feed Your Suicide” raises and drops its intensity to accentuate the turbulence felt by suicidal youth, while “Silent Voice” retains its aggression throughout even if the vocals do occasionally take the edge off when at their most melodic.
“Carve My Stone”, the final track, is melodic and scathing at the same time with sweetly sung vocals, an airy guitar riff that has a sharp bite to it and a long flowing lead that meanders slowly until it bursts forth with manic speed only to fade out gently to end the album off quietly.
(6/10 Marco Gaminara)
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