As the band’s name suggests, dark soundscapes have been their trademark, a view which I confirmed when listening to previous works “Semente” (2016) and “Sangue Cássia” (2018). I found the former offered more than the latter, which for me overdid the gloom, but there’s no doubt that this Portuguese collective is good at generating a haunting ambience, and it was this that gave me hope and expectation for this latest work.
Sure enough “Amargura” (Bitterness) rises to the occasion. Weighty in a doom-like style, it is full of pomp and grandeur, aided by Priscila da Costa’s lofty vocals and the heavy, authoritative instrumentals. A chilling section is accompanied by the sinister spoken word. The dark atmosphere is laced with luxury. The patient beginning and ensuing pace of “Elegia” remind me of Katatonia. Priscila’s vocals clearly differ from Jonas Renske and again exude a lofty dreaminess. Yet there is a hardness too, as the drum and guitar work remind us. Progress is both mechanical and dramatic until the final section when a lush passage leads us into the climax. “Elegia” is an expertly constructed song. “Pontas Soltas” (Loose Ends) oozes solemn pomp and majesty, and is the ideal vehicle for Priscila’s pure voice. By contrast “O Equivocado” (The Mistaken) has the sense of foreboding as it treads forward weightily, but in a horror-like way which suggests impending danger or even disaster.
Having drawn out such a sombre scene for us, it is perhaps fitting that the next piece should be “Perfeita Encenacao” (Perfect Staging). This is a theatrical performance from Sinistro, but not theatre for its own sake judging by the intensity and passion of delivery. “Perfeita Encenacao” is in fact a quieter, more reflective piece, descending into a mist through which not for the first time Priscila utters words. I don’t know what the words mean as they’re in Portuguese but the air is now filled with melancholy. Again the follow-up is appropriate to the scene. “Templo das Làgrimas” (Temple of Tears) is what we have here. But sad as it is, the angelic vocals complement the Katatonian punch and even post-metal progression in another and final sophisticated display of emotion.
“Vértice” is a powerful album. Sinistro set out their pitch and manage it adeptly. Moody, sultry and weighty, this is a grand performance.
(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
Leave a Reply