Dissonant as well as emotive death metal from Canada
Husband-wife duo Crown of Madness impressed many with their debut full length of melancholic and atmospheric dissonant death metal which many feel is reminiscent of their heralded label mates Devenial Verdict. After only a few days of their album coming out, they have unleashed their official video via the label’s channel which can be witnessed AT THIS LINK.
Crown of Madness have put out a slew of short-form releases, improving upon their sound with each one and culminating in this full length that sees the most evolved version of their music so far. As accomplished as it is, it also happens to be unique in the style of dissonant death metal – in that, it’s deeply personal and palpably emotive, and that poignant, introspective mood pervades their entire album. The music almost has a melodic albeit melancholic quality to it that is refreshing for a style of music that usually sounds harsh and detached. At the same time the music is driven; the hypnotic riffs are invariably interspersed with bursts of blasts and there is good momentum generated in this calculated, undulating pattern which becomes addictive. Memories Fragmented is a beautifully tempered album underpinned by unforgettable melodies, an ambitious release but one completely devoid of pretence, which is bound to be regarded as one of the standout albums in the style in the years to come.
For fans of: Ulcerate, Devenial Verdict, Dysgnostic, Gorguts
Artwork by Erskine Designs
Track listing: 1. Visions From A Past Life 2. Sovereign Blood 3. Burdened 4. Ashes of Mine 5. When I Don’t Remember You 6. Deafening 7. Sea of Fangs 8. Dreamless Nights No Longer 9. Hollow Thresher 10. The Grand Design
Montreal/Stockholm Progressive Metal Quartet, Voidchaser, have releasd their new EP Trust! Serving as an epilogue to critically acclaimed 2024 release Solace, the new EP completes the narrative and brings closure to the conceptual journey begun with their debut album.
Coinciding with the EP’s release, the band has also released a music video for opening track, “Time,” featuring Québec City’s Universe Effects (Gabriel Antoine Vallée, Francis Grégoire, and Gabriel Cyr). “Time” embarks on a reflective journey through loss and the fleeting nature of life. Emotionally charged and deeply introspective, the song continues the narrative arc that concluded Solace, resonating with the raw emotion of abandonment.
Following the impact of “Trust” (featuring Jim Grey of Caligula’s Horse) and the epic “Dogma” (with a guest appearance by The Anchoret), “Time” weaves a heartfelt exploration of impermanence and memory, brought to life through poignant lyrics and evocative melodies. This final chapter not only completes the EP’s narrative journey, but also reinforces Voidchaser‘s reputation for merging profound emotional storytelling with dynamic musical composition.
Trust solidifies Voidchaser’sreputation for heavy yet emotionally resonant progressive metal. The band is also gearing up for an international tour in 2025, with more details to be announced soon.
Line-Up:
Chad Bernatchez – Vocals, Back Vocals, Rhythm Guitar Jici LG – Bass Jimmy Montbriand – Lead Guitar Colin MacAndrew – Drums Mathieu Fiset – Keyboards
“Trust picks up directly after the events of Solace. Our protagonist is drifting across the vast emptiness of space, as the reserve oxygen tanks from the suit keeps him alive and scenes from his life pass them by. The first song, Time, depicts our protagonist having to say goodbye to someone who he was very close to. The second song, Dogma, depicts our protagonist having to make an impossible decision, resulting in leaving behind someone else he was very close to. Finally, the title track depicts our protagonist unapologetically committing his entire life to someone only to have his trust broken and their sense of self be lost in the process.
We collaborated with musicians from all around the world on this EP and it’s very cool to have had the opportunity to do that. We have a lot of love for the musicians that accepted to be on it and feel incredibly honored that we made something they wanted to be a part of.
This EP is very special to us because it marks the end of a chapter for Voidchaser. We are very proud of how far we have come since the band has started, and there is nothing we would have done differently. Everything has led to where we are today and we have learned a lot from the past two years and we are very grateful for everything that happened and everyone who was with us along the way.”
FFO: Devin Townsend, Haken, Dream Theater, Between the Buried and Me, Opeth, Caligula’s Horse.
Guest vocals by Gabriel Antoine Vallée (Time). Guest guitar solo by Gabriel Cyr (Time). Guest keyboard solo by Francis Grégoire (Time). Guest french horn by Tomás Figueiredo (Time). Guest violin/viola/cello by Oleh Mytrofanov, Kateryna Mytrofanova, Oleksiy. Zavgorodniy, Anastasia Boyko and Jana Malentzova (Time, Dogma). Guest saxophone solo by Laurent Barbier (Dogma). Guest oud solo by Asil Blek (Dogma). Guest bansuri solo by Rajat Prasanna (Dogma). Guest vocals by Jim Grey (Trust).
Lyrics and Songwriting by Chad Bernatchez. Production and Arrangements by Jici LG. Mixing and Mastering by Jason Poulin. Management by Metal Shed Productions. Artwork by Sam Harwood.
Drums recorded by Mackay Agellon at Borkum Riff Studios. Guest vocals recorded by Jared Adlam at Machine Lab Studios (Trust).
Special thanks to Eddy Levitsky (The Anchoret) for his implication in the track “Dogma”, to Dario and Van (The Progspace), and to Niko (Prog Sphere).
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