#asblackheartsbreak

[chiddythekidd]

a masterpiece of misanthropy, mayhem, & melody.

Hark all ye Metalheads, dust off your altars to the Elder Gods & prepare ye for worship! Rejoice, for the South Bay’s own progressive, technical metal outfit, Sentient Ignition released their debut EP, Enthroned in Gray. Officially released digitally earlier this week, this is one of the finest works of metal the Bay Area has birthed since the early days of Thrash.

The record opens with the haunting & atmospheric synth intro track, Ascension, & then rends the gates of Hel wide open with the title track, & they never let up. Coming in at just under 45 minutes, (only the intro track clocks under 5 minutes) the album is a non-stop barrage of face melting, soul shattering, metal euphoria. That's not to say there are no moments of calm & melody, they do find their way into the mix, but one of the things I love most about this kind of technical, theory based metal, is that those quieter moments showcase how even jazz has an influence on the genre.  but then the distortion kicks back in & you are slammed into high gear. stand out tracks include the title track, Enthroned in Gray & the album closer Binding Time.

of course the technicality of the music really shines through. diverse rhythm patterns, odd time signatures & a variety of vocal techniques all blend & compliment one another to create an incredibly epic soundscape, but one that is washed over by a bleak & melancholy tone. a feeling that is exquisitely captured by the album’s artwork, provided by Swedish surrealist Par Oolafson. the range of vocal techniques is exceptionally impressive, running the gamut from deep & soothing melodies to guttural beastly roars to piercing & demonic screams, & the delivery is phenomenal, spitting out words in matching rhythms to the guitar. the rhythm & lead guitars attack both simultaneously & harmonically, steering clear of over using “chucka chucka” or “djint” patterns, & focusing more on delivering complex melodies or the occasional, brutal breakdown. building all of this on a solid foundation of rhythmic & punctuated drum patterns, that both accentuate & shepherd the rest of the instrumentation into a cohesive monster of a living musical entity. yes this record (& this band) is the sonic embodiment of an Elder God heaving itself from its slumber deep within the Earth.

Keep your eyes & ears primed to witness this group of insanely talented people rise & conquer, first the Bay Area metal scene, & then... the WORLD! Highly recommended for fans of Opeth, Between the Buried & Me, or for those more acquainted with the local scene, As Black Hearts Break. Enthroned in Gray is available now, as a digital download or order a physical CD, along with t-shirts proudly displaying the album art, at www.sentientignition.com