Vitskär Süden – The Faceless King
Ripple Music – 2022
Rock, Psych, Prog, Dark, Noir
Rated: *****
We’ve said it before, if you want to tell a story, it’s about setting the scene. And some bands are true masters in that respect. With the right kind of the tones and approach, you can feel a dungeon breeze snatch your soul in its teeth and scarper off to a cobwebbed corner of your prison. You will see the scorched landscape, the burnt air leaving lingering tastes of something similar to bacon and you will see The Faceless King grin. That evil smile that will haunt your dreams for the rest of your life. The Los Angeles quartet Vitskär Süden is back with a new dark fantasy story. It is called The Faceless King and as concept albums go, there shall be very few albums released this year that can rival this record in scenery, imagery and scope. For, if you are so bold as to dive into the story, and if you are so bold to order the deluxe version, you will also get a Dungeons & Dragons, 24-page long, fully illustrated RPG-module, that dives even deeper into the history of The Faceless King. And a mighty fantasy it is, with minor horror influences it creates its own mythopoeia about an anti-hero King, rising, dying and returning with an even more sinister heart. And then there’s the music, the beautiful music that would have told its tale even without vocals. For when opener The Way – Part 1 starts, you are immediately dragged into their world. Most of the album leans on half-time-heavy tempo or the slower approach like on this wonderful opening track. Seagull guitar, eerie synth touches, all giving you the feeling of something extremely mystical that is slowly seeping into your blood. And then the transition, with the vocals into the The Way – Part 2. This changeover into that heavier, creepier sound, so expertly done. Recalling weird memories of a Drywall song, but more prog, intense and so imposing. It’s easy to see this one as an immediate favorite, but then third track Archdiocese Of Worms hits, weaving its psych, prog and folk tapestry on an even grander scale. You feel the vampiric acid of the Archdiocese slowly transfer into your being as the guitar rings on and the drums, with its pronounced, yet subdued thrashing, and then those final instants when the bass rumbles and thumps, like a distant earthquake slowly closing in… We could continue about every one of the following four tracks, but we would not want to spoil the ending before you have a chance to see the movie yourself. Cause I recall hearing Vitskär Süden's 2020 self-titled debut for the first time, after reading only a few raving reviews and remarks on websites here and there and being shocked at the complete and epic narrative it unfolded, the heavy psychedelic and progressive rock, colored in with dark noir, gothic and folk elements. It was one of the best moments of that fucked up year. And we would not want to deprive you of a similar experience. It is a breathtaking adventure... And I am sure, that as the final tones of closing track The Broken Crown die away, and you take that huge breath of air, you will feel the wind dying down, and the silence descending, turning the night sky into a frozen reflection of infinite stars… And among those stars... That evil grin...
(Written by JK)
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