KRALLICE’S DIMENSIONAL BLEEDTHROUGH DOESN’T DO THE BAND JUSTICE
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 3:00pm by Vince Neilstein
MS Maniac Edward Wilfred is digging the new stuff from NYC black metallers Krallice. Says he:
First I want to thank you guys for turning me on to this band in the first place. They are definitely one of the greatest black metal bands I have ever listened to. But anyways, they have a new track up on their myspace and apparently a new album is coming out november 10!!!!! Hurry up and post the news so the rest of the metal world can jizz over the news!!
You’re welcome for the introduction, Edward. But I’m going to have to disagree with your assertion that they are one of the greatest black metal bands ever (”that you’ve listened to”… ok, maybe).
Krallice positively blew my mind at Scion Rock Fest earlier this year. Blew it up, smashed it into little shreds and dined on my leftover brains with their Zombie sister. They were my festival highlight, in fact. But after listening to their prior self-titled record — and now having had a chance to live with their new one Dimensional Bleedthrough (out Nov. 10) — I will have to maintain that Krallice are a band best experienced live.
In the live setting, the constant builds, swells, twists and turns take you for a wild ride; “did they really just do that? what next? how can it get even more epic than this? ohhhh!” But on record, Krallice just seem flat to me. The songs wander with little direction and it’s way too easy to just zone out and forget you’re listening to anything at all. There are plenty of cool moments, lots of them in fact… but nothing that really holds you there as you wait with baited breath for the next move like you do when the band rocks it out live. The muted production doesn’t help (but boy it sure is kvlt/trve/br00talz!!!), and only serves to further the general same-ness of textures throughout the whole record.
Ultimately I’m not even really faulting Krallice here. They’re great musicians and they write great music. It’s just hard to capture it fully on record. I’m not sure it can even be done. This music is best experienced live. It’s apples to oranges.
So that’s that. But holy fuck, the band really does kill it live and I highly recommend you go see them if you can.
-VN
(2.5 out of 5 horns)
love to see them live. wretched wisdom blew my mind
Man, I had a chance to see them live (along with Wolves in the Throne Room) a few months ago for just 7 damn bucks, but missed it. Now every time I hear about how awesome they are live, I want to fucking punch a kitten.
Gonna still try and give their new album a chance when I listen to it, though. I agree with what Edward says; they’re one of my favorite black metal bands.
Leak this now. Thanks.
2.5… really?
They need to stop fucking around and make live albums then…
or get a better producer.
Molec Codices is just amazing, I love this band. Too bad it’s very improbable to see these guys here in Venezuela.
Interesting write up Vince, considering I still remember this post:
http://www.metalsucks.net/2009/09/02/krallice-return-with-another-shot-of-nyc-black-metal/
Hmm. I can kind of see what you’re saying Vince, but I have to disagree. I’ve never seen this band live, but I defininitely can feel this music just from the cd. Having it up all the way with some kick ass speakers is just amazing.
As for being one of the best, yeah maybe I was a little too excited there, but I still kind of stand by it. I’ve listened to hundreds of black metal band and I’ve loved lot’s of them, but I just don’t feel like they have the same power and emotion as Krallice.
everyone’s always bitching about the production on any given black metal album, i guess it’s important in a genre where your recordings define you more than the riffs. I, however find Krallice entertaining because of their riffs, and twist on the ‘orthodox’ style often worshipped by satan worshippers.
There’s only a handful of black metal bands i think that can reach that level of musical individuality while still being true black metal: Death Spell Omega, Leviathan, Anaal Nathrakh, Xasthur, to name a few.
EIther way, Metalsucks should cover more black metal!
Don’t know about that, Vince
I actually like the record ALOT, and I think it’s perfectly produced for such kind of music. The atmosphere is fucking incredible and it sounds so right. I loved their previous record and this goes only further into the territory these guys are exploring. Kinda wanna argue with those horns right there, me thinks the records deserves much more…
2.5? Really? This album has blown me the fuck away. One of the most intense albums I’ve heard in a while.