Let’s explore the psyche of Vale of Pnath.
Founded in 2006 by Vance Valenzuela (guitar, Abigail Williams, ex-Flub), the band’s third album, Between The Worlds of Life and Death, features a new line-up: Ken Sorceron (vocals, Abigail Williams, ex-Aborted, ex-Lord Mantis, ex-The Faceless), Austin Rolla (bass, Anthrocide) and Gabe Seeber (drums, Abigail Williams, Divine Heresy, The Kennedy Veil).
Bass was recorded by Ken Sorceron, and the album also features Kakophonix (Heljarmadr, ex-Empyrean Throne) on violin, Wayne Ingram (Wilderun) on orchestrations, as well as guitarists Michael Wilson (ex-Aborted, ex-Abigail Williams), Donny Burbage (Cradle of Filth, Aether Realm), Miles Dimitri Baker (Interloper), Matthew Brown (Demon King) and Christian Muenzner (Necrophagist, Obscura, Alkaloid).
The album begins with introduction The Forgotten Path, which plunges us straight into this dark cosmic universe of marked influences, leading into the equally epic Silent Prayer, where the sound suddenly becomes heavier. Ferocity and complexity combine to give an as aggressive as polished flavor to the devastating riffs and savage vocal parts that graft themselves onto the surge, whose rhythm changes naturally, sometimes adding a hint of dissonance, as on Soul Offering, which follows with horrific vivacity. The jerky rhythm is often adorned with modern cybernetic tones or melancholy keyboards to reinforce its impact, while the orchestrations make way for the long Shadow, which first darkens its atmosphere before allowing fury to express itself thanks to both an impressive basis and cutting leads. The second half of the track is marked by an oppressive foggy passage before violence returns, then darkness returns with Uncertain Tomorrow where the worked patterns take over again thanks to convoluted harmonics led by inspired guitars. The rhythm section remains as solid as ever, as on Beneath Ashen Skies where it adorns itself with fateful bells to develop its apocalyptic atmosphere, which suffocates and strikes us as much as it hypnotizes us with penetrating melodies. The ethereal final leads into No Return, No Regret, which stays in those soaring tones barded with heady, spacey echoes at full speed, before finally giving us a short break with Echoes Of The Past. The interlude also keeps its eerie roots, to take us sailing in terror until Burning Light, the final composition, which not only accentuates the modern effects and jolts of the rhythmics, but gives them a crushing power and Prog accents that naturally complement the band’s keyboard-tinged rage.
Vale of Pnath‘s terrifying cosmic atmosphere gives their complex Death Metal a much darker and more terrifying edge than other bands. Between The Worlds of Life and Death doesn’t forget to crush us from time to time, punctuating the album with impressive mastery.
95/100
