365 Days of Metal: Rebecca Black Metal Friday vol. 6

Rebecca is back - she missed you. Did you miss her? Of course you did.

Day 68

Krallice - Diotima

Band Origin: New York, New York, USA

Genre: Experimental Black Metal

Label: Profound Lore

Running Time: 69 minutes

Release Date: April 26, 2011

Best Part: The title track has a progression that is deathly and thunderous, and is bridged with a guitar solo that can only be described as melodious in its insanity.

Favorite Tracks: Litany of Regrets, Diotima, Telluric Rings, and The Clearing

Grade: 5

Side Note: 100% Fucking Metal band logo.

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Diotima in 20ish words or less:

The experimental black metal crew from New York returns with their third record, taking a more concordant direction with the high-tempo rhythmic surges.

The Band:

Krallice is a four piece black metal band from New York that plays an experimental and progressive style of black metal. The band was formed in 2008 by Colin Marston, formerly of Behold... The Arctopus and Mick Barr as a collaboration, adding in drummer Lev Weinstein to complete the initial trio. Nick McMaster joined after their initial release to perform live bass, eventually becoming a full-time member. Their use of multi-tracked guitars makes for compositions that are precise and clean, while still possessing the tremolo-picked signature and speed of early black metal, such as the likes of Burzum. As such they are a new breed of black metal, while still maintaining a sound that is a throwback to classic black metal style. Their debut self-titled release received high praise upon its initial release, as did their follow-up record released the following year and has made them a standout in 'modern' black metal.

Krallice's previous releases include: Krallice (2008), and Dimensional Bleedthrough (2009) 

Jay's Take on Diotima:

In the relatively short time that Krallice has set up shop, they have done many things, but disappoint is not one of them. Their debut self-titled album and follow-up Dimensional Bleedthrough are two of the best experimental and black metal albums of the past few years, and the boys are back with Diotima, taking their new patented style to the next stage of their experimental evolution of the genre. The first thing that is noticeable on Diotima is the shift in vocal work, which leaves Barr's black metal standard vocals in contrast wth McMaster's vocals which dominate much more of the record with deathly purpose. The second thing, and that which really sets up the flow and feel of the record, is the guitar work which plays with much more accord than their previous releases, creating a real flow within each track, each riff playing in concordance with the next, creating clear movements amidst the thunderous shredding. The shift in vocal style and the ebb and flow created through the instrumentation add greatly to the experience that Diotima provides, and with it the emotional depth that the record also seeks to convey, musically and lyrically. Weinstein undoubtedly also plays the backbone of the record, and while the drumming is often the less heralded aspect of an album such as this, his work demands notable respect in the way it mends the many rhythms of the group together into the cohesive and thunderous unit it is. 

Sample of the Day:



- J