“Pupils constrict, iris illuminating iridescent hydrated leaves of green.“
Dawn of Ouroboros played their next hand sooner than expected – before the dust had firmly settled on Velvet Incandescence, it wasn’t long before the release cycle of Bioluminescence began in full force. A swift double dose of title track “Bioluminescence” and “Slipping Burgundy” showed a refined and improved Dawn of Ouroboros, one that had the ability to take many by surprise, especially with the sheer gravitas imbued in these news songs. The quartet’s cocktail of modern progressive black and death metal had on first impression certainly become potent, resulting in a more clearly defined sound which could now tempt listeners beyond the nebulously progressive metal world to indulge.
As the aforementioned opener “Bioluminescence” roars, crashing into life in the album’s first moments, it takes little time for Chelsea Murphy‘s vocal performance to impress. The harsher, heavier moments on the record are propelled with the full force of the screams bursting at their edges, giving the impression of Murphy pushing their performance to their vocal boundaries. Juxtaposing the harsh vocals with the majestically velvet clean vocals, which right from the outset capture the ear and guide the listener through the album’s rapturous, at times downright jazzy, harmonies, provides a cool, calm contrast throughout the record. As “Nebulae” further stamps on the throttle, there are moments of melodic grace in Murphy‘s impressive vocal range, before the quartet pivots back to vicious riffs and screams with a truly commanding force.
It is on “Slipping Burgundy” that Dawn of Ouroboros really showcase their finest moments, and, in turn, deliver one of the most impressive tracks of the year to date. Offering up the silk and charm of an acoustic bass in its opening foray, Murphy‘s vocals build in a seductive and serene manner over laid-back drums and deceptively tranquil guitars from Botanist’s Tony Thomas, which could very well place the track in a jazz club, albeit one far removed from a smoke-filled basement. It’s a track where the quartet’s meticulous control over the ebb and flow of the music, a perhaps underappreciated songwriting tool, truly shines. Shifting through gears and backed by ever more expansive guitar riffs that move through ravenging black metal, and boasting a juice-filled solo, the track inches towards its crescendo. A clear standout, “Slipping Burgundy” has all the gravitas of sitting in the eye of a storm, encompassing an unrelenting beauty to behold.
“Poseidon’s Hymn” and “Dueling Sunsets” skip straight over interludes in favour of simply continuing with what Dawn of Ouroboros are so evidently good at, namely slamming riffs and surprisingly catchy melodic writing that allow Murphy‘s vocals to shine. “Dueling Sunsets” ushers in synths, adding an extra layer of subtle texture to complement the at times almost shoegaze guitar production, with rhythm guitars drowned in reverb and swept far back in the mix. The production style is overall rather modern, with vocals, leads and drums given priority and Ian Baker’s bass not particularly noticeable. Slightly more punch on the drums simply to give them more life and make them more pronounced would also be welcome, given how good much of the drum work from Ron Bertrand is; as it stands, however, the production style fits the record’s concept and execution, despite feeling as if it does lack a little breathing room. Really, though, these are minor complaints for a record that carves its own sound and states its clearly defined identity, choosing to mirror the violent forces at work in the serene depths of the ocean’s deepest abysses.
Not yet letting up the pace, the quartet sink right down to the deepest depths on “Fragile Tranquility“. Introduced with now familiar blast beats and weighty vocals, it breaks into a beautiful moment of fragility, with an almost mournful air. While it doesn’t dwell under the soft guitar chords for too long, it closes on a crushingly oppressive moment that sees Murphy even drop into guttural vocals. “Mournful Ambience” acts as a sort of epilogue, featuring graceful piano work underscoring the near-operatic vocals from Murphy, and rounds out the record on a gorgeously contemplative note befitting a record exploring the otherworldly strangeness of the most extreme environment on the planet. It is difficult to not be impressed by what is showcased across the run-time of Bioluminescence. Tracks like “Slipping Burgundy” have a magnitude only matched by heavyweight releases this year from much bigger bands, while deeper cuts such as “Dueling Sunsets” and “Fragile Tranquility” maintain the sheer force that is a hallmark of the quartet’s sound. Oscillating between moments of furious modern progressive metal and captivating elegancy, Bioluminescence is a record that does what it sets out to do, namely capture the tumultuous and dangerous beauty of the ocean. It is a record that, over time, will gain this California quartet a lot of well-deserved attention.
8/10
Bioluminescence is set to release March 7th via Prosthetic Records and can be pre-ordere here.