Dawn Of Ouroboros - Bioluminescence - review
Dawn Of Ouroboros - Bioluminescence - review
Tracklist
01. Bioluminescence02. Nebulae
03. Slipping Burgundy
04. Poseidon's Hymn
05. Dueling Sunsets
06. Static Repetition
07. Fragile Tranquility
08. Mournful Ambience
A review by
AndyMetalFreak March 15, 2025
Dawn Of Ouroboros are a unique US metal band whose style is commonly classified as progressive black metal, but the incorporation of various elements and sub-genres, including atmo-black, blackgaze, post-black, post-hardcore, jazz, and death metal, makes it difficult to define them under a single category or genre. The band was formed in 2018 by Tony Thomas (guitars/synths) and Chelsea Murphy (vocals), who also perform alongside each other in various other black metal projects, including Among The Torrent, and Cailleach Calling; following their 2020 debut The Art Of Morphology, they introduced guitarist Ian Baker of Botanist to the fold prior to the release of their sophomore Velvet Incandescence in 2023. Now, with drummer Christopher Stropoli (Tómarúm) on board, the time has come for album number three, titled Bioluminescence.
Bioluminescence describes a chemical reaction occurring within living organisms to produce light, which sounds like a concept that's hard to fathom for lesser academic minds such as myself, but that concept is not nearly as complex as trying to figure out what's going on across this latest album. The unpredictability is evident from the opening title track, which contains a staggering fusion of elements derived from blackgaze, post-hardcore, and technical and blackened death metal, and that's only the beginning. Each of the 8 songs contains its own unique and varied formula, varying from extreme aggression to softer atmospherics, shifting from one to another in an instant. The intriguing alternation between ferocious progressive/technical death and softer post-black metal during "Dueling Sunsets" is a prime example of what this band can achieve when all of these elements at their disposal are fused successfully.
The guitar work is not overly melodic, nor overly technical, but often lying somewhere between. The extreme sections are made up of highly technical and aggressive riffs and dissonant blackened tremolos, alongside leads that shred, wail, and thrash away at lightning speed, while softer sections feature more repetitive, hypnotizing riffing in an often gazing fashion, accentuated by sweeping melancholic leads. However, because the guitar work changes at such a relentless rate, the riffs don't often hold their hooks for long enough to maintain memorability, while the leads are only unleashed in short outbursts rather than being given time to gather momentum.
The rhythm, particularly during the extreme sections, changes constantly; the drums pound frantically and with a striking amount of complexity along with the bass, while offering more style and groove during lighter sections. Various synths/keys and electronics add further elements to the already densely layered songs, but are often held back behind the instrumentation. Instrumentation aside, the main star of the show is clearly Chelsea Murphy, who has this remarkable ability to switch her vocal style at will to suit the music. Her smooth ethereal cleans fit the dreamy blackgaze sections, while her harsh menacing death growls and tortuous wails are an ideal match for the more extreme sections.
Although they're not the easiest band to get into, Dawn Of Ouroboros are still gaining recognition in extreme metal for their original and unpredictable approach. Unlike a substantial majority of metal bands, they think outside the box, with each musician bringing their set of skills and experience to the table. However, despite being impressed by the band's ambitious and creative efforts from their previous releases, I was left feeling somewhat underwhelmed; it almost felt like they were still at an early experimental stage, rather than sounding like a band with a fully established style. Bioluminescence, on the other hand, is quite a step up; it's easily their most accomplished and consistent offering to date, and well crafted despite the monumental amount of elements featured. I feel this band is just starting to take their feet off the ground, and will perhaps be ready to take off and soar to greater heights in the near future.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 7 |
| Songwriting: | 7 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written on 15.03.2025 by
Written on 15.03.2025 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with. Comments
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Didn't like like it at first and then the atmosphere kinda grew on me through out the album. By the end I thought it was a good album, Chelsea's vocals definitely the stand out as you said. Even some deafheaven kind of vibes in there mixed up a lot of other things
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Posts: 6671 Written by no one on 20.03.2025 at 22:02 There's so much to take in but it's definitely a grower this one, and I must say, I prefer it to their previous release.
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