Swedish progressive extreme metal architects Letters From The Colony proudly presents to the world their opus “Vignette” which, far from being an average debut album, showcases songwriting complexity and virtuosic performance.
An ambiance intro creates suspense on “Galax” which seems to rely on a rather lethal sonic assault with recognizable death metal hints as punishing drums and guitar riffs lead the way until a series of eclectic variations mutate tempo & style welcoming cathartic polished melodies and jazz oriented instrumental passages where the stellar guitar work gains a rightfully deserved crucial role.
While the main structure of “Erasing Contrast” continues to showcase aggressive & fast rhythmic patterns this track is rendered more interesting by the continuous tempo variations that will ultimately lead to a radical change of scenario when guitars begin to focus on luminous melodies surrounded by surreal atmospheric layers.
The rhythmic backbone of “Terminus” features massive raw guitar riffing surrounded by cold atmospheric tones channeling once again the darkest depths of extreme metal spiced up by highly technical guitar work that will slow down dramatically towards the end of the song to deliver ethereal shoegaze vibes.
“Glass Palaces” hits you in the face with a wall of heavy guitar riffs and enraged growls supported by impeccable bass & drums dynamics but this burst of untamed fury is further enriched by meticulous technical guitar progressions that will later acquire a sense of serenity as guitars focus on the creation of crispy melodic tapestries.
The title track is definitely the most complex offering on this album as the band continuously combines multiple music styles, starting with super heavy rhythmic patterns interrupted by fancy prog style guitar leads and bright melodies that will often craft peaceful yet intensely technical hypnotizing breakdowns accompanied by ambience accents before returning to more straightforward extreme metal moments.
Math metal acolytes will rejoice listening to the insane instrumental intricacy of “Vignette” but Letters From The Colony doesn’t focus solely on this style as these talented musicians demonstrate the ability to deliver a multifaceted work of music confidently blending also prog and shoegaze elements.