Metal Storm logo
Triptykon - Melana Chasmata review



Reviewer:
8.0

386 users:
8.26
Band: Triptykon
Album: Melana Chasmata
Release date: April 2014


01. Tree Of Suffocating Souls
02. Boleskine House
03. Altar Of Deceit
04. Breathing
05. Into Despair [Japanese bonus]
06. Aurorae
07. Demon Pact
08. In The Sleep Of Death
09. Black Snow
10. Waiting

We all know the story by now. Following the disbanding of Celtic Frost after the widely-hailed Monotheist, metal torchbearer Thomas Fischer announced the formation of Triptykon, a new project that would be dedicated towards continuing on in the vein of the final Celtic Frost album. The band's Eparistera Daimones debut showed a glimpse of Fischer's remaining committment to writing ominous, crushing music. Now, in 2014, Melana Chasmata cements it.

With Triptykon's sophomore album, Fischer and company offer up a worthy concoction of variety, that once again refuses to be pigeonholed into any one definite style, and is quite comfortable with exploring the possibilities that lie within the "deep chasms" of its title. Opener "Tree Of Suffocating Souls" harks back to the aggressive, thrashy style of "Goetia" from the debut, while other tracks like "Altar Of Deceit" lay smothered in the chugging, doomy crunch that's also come to be a signature of Fischer's style. The gothic elements, though not prevalent, are also retained from the band's debut, creeping in at just the right moments to show yet another facet of the music's dark, harrowing personality.

Coming with the diversity of sound is a likewise alternation in vocal delivery, that completes the whole of the album and helps greatly to reduce the staleness factor. Whether it's Fischer's trademark snarls, his more relaxed, sorrowful style like on "Aurorae," or even the beautiful backups from bassist Vanja Slajh, the vocals always seem to fit the music, with an excellent pacing of technique that doesn't really keep you waiting too long for either method to appear.

If Thomas Fischer still has anything to prove of himself as a musician, Melana Chasmata appears to do it, and clears up many doubts about his new project. Though it can get a bit monotonous towards the end, with "Black Snow" feeling like an attempt at re-creating "The Prolonging," and closer "Waiting" striking me as though it should've been combined somehow with "Aurorae," for the most part Triptykon's sophomore effort secures the position of the band as potent and commendable within the current scene. And, at least in the case of Fischer, is shows us that once again, just because you're older, it doesn't mean you can't still be a badass.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 8





Written on 20.04.2014 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 18   Visited by: 383 users
20.04.2014 - 18:34
Lit.
Account deleted
Only an 8, huh? I expected higher.
Loading...
20.04.2014 - 21:14
Rating: 8
Alex F
Slick Dick Rick
I pretty much agree with you except id score it a bit lower. A good album by all means, just not exactly my favorite of the style
Loading...
20.04.2014 - 23:47
Winterwolf

Textbook OK album
Loading...
20.04.2014 - 23:51
Rating: 6
Schnabeltier 24

I totally agree with the review and the rating. I was a little disappointed by their debut, but this one has a good atmosphere.
----
Hey there, tiny wench !
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 00:28
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Schnabeltier 24 on 20.04.2014 at 23:51

I was a little disappointed by their debut, but this one has a good atmosphere.

Agreed, I prefer the atmosphere of this one as well. More enveloping
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 00:45
Rating: 10
Neoxx07

This albums deserves a 10. pure apocalyptic doom metal album recorded in the depths of hell.
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 07:53
Rating: 5
Rulatore

Written by Guest on 20.04.2014 at 18:34

Only an 8, huh? I expected higher.

Much more than it deserved in my opinion. Feels to simple, I don't remember the debut being this repetitive, but I think I like that one better than this one.

Not to say that the tracks sounded too samey to me.
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 12:50
Rating: 8
Warman
Erotic Stains
It's a great album but I preferred the first one which was more like the glorious "Monotheist". I wish this one had less gothic touches and more of the crushing Celtic Frost thrash/black/death sound.
----
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 14:06
Sand

The last sentence reminded me of Marcel
*runs and hides*
----
Non serviam
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 14:09
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Sand on 21.04.2014 at 14:06

The last sentence reminded me of Marcel
*runs and hides*

Having now met him in person, I can certainly say it can apply to him as well
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 14:13
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Warman on 21.04.2014 at 12:50

It's a great album but I preferred the first one which was more like the glorious "Monotheist". I wish this one had less gothic touches and more of the crushing Celtic Frost thrash/black/death sound.

The debut had many such moments as well, if not to the same degree as this one then pretty close around
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 14:26
ManiacBlasphemer
Black Knight
Low rating. I would put it beyond 9. This one is much more tight than their debut.
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 14:35
Rating: 8
Warman
Erotic Stains
Written by Auntie Sahar on 21.04.2014 at 14:13

]The debut had many such moments as well, if not to the same degree as this one then pretty close around

Absolutely, but I felt this one had a bit more gothic sound. Or maybe just an overall "slower" sound, I thought the debut had more of those fast Tom-Warrior-in-your-face-riffs.
----
Loading...
21.04.2014 - 14:37
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Warman on 21.04.2014 at 14:35

I thought the debut had more of those fast Tom-Warrior-in-your-face-riffs.

It was definitely faster, yes
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
22.04.2014 - 23:14
Soulhole

Tom G Warrior crushing my balls!
Loading...
13.05.2014 - 22:34
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Don't want to burst your bubble regarding Vanja but...

Vanja barely gave some backing vocals on the last track. All the other female vocals are done by Simone (who also did the female vocals on the previous album and if memory serves me, on Monotheist as well).
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
Loading...
14.05.2014 - 02:28
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by X-Ray Rod on 13.05.2014 at 22:34

Vanja barely gave some backing vocals on the last track. All the other female vocals are done by Simone (who also did the female vocals on the previous album and if memory serves me, on Monotheist as well).

Guest vocalist, I'm assuming?
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
14.05.2014 - 06:55
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Yes. Simone Vollenweider is the name.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
Loading...

Hits total: 8066 | This month: 12