Deathcall Review

Band	Agnes Vein
Album	Deathcall
Type	Album (Studio full-length)
Released	2021
Genres	Black Metal, Doom Metal
Labels	Independent

Reviewer :  prixmypouts         Rating :  90 / 100

CHECK OUT THAT BAND !!!

Agnes Vein is a Greek band which was formed two decades ago. Having released only three full lengths within this time span probably has not helped gather a bit more attention – which is a shame given the passion and love for details they put into their work. “Deathcall” is their third album with eight years having gone by since the previous one “Soulship”. To be honest this is my first foray into their work so I cannot give any comparisons, but sometimes it anyway is better to review a record all on its own without references to past efforts. Six tracks adding up to 47 minutes of running time make up for a quite meaty affair and I have to give credit Agnes Vein for having filled each moment with meaningful content. The whole album just feels perfectly crafted and edited, there is more or less no filler material left in the end product.

The first song I came across by them is “Vultures Hymn”, which has a very distinct stoner rock / sludge kind of vibe. I expected the whole album to be similar to this one, but in fact most of the remaining tracks offer something darker so that the tag “blackened doom” surely is not wrong. Often the music presented by Agnes Vein is the sonic equivalent of looming storm clouds, shadowy and oppressive with just the odd hint of sunlight through the fogginess. Their music is slow, most of the time stumbling along an ill-light path, but there are sections which push the rhythm section a bit more and bring additional layers to the fore. One thing they have down to a T is how they succeed to seamlessly combine those different parts while never destroying the mood.

Epic harmonies are alternating with crunchy riffs, which while not necessarily offering something completely new are played with so much energy and freshness that missing innovation does not bother me. Most times the music comes across being quite accessible, with Agnes Vein escaping pretentiousness without losing power and punch. A good example of this is the title track, which starts the album in great fashion, hitting with a powerful and stunning chorus line and some massive and crunchy riffs. That being said when it comes to music like this it might not make that much sense to highlight single tracks. This is more about the emotions ebbing and flowing with the melancholic instrumentation, and losing yourself within the darkness. Agnes Vein are fantastic songwriters and they have placed each tune in the perfect place when looking at the context of the whole record.

As can be predicted, the path ahead through all the material is long and slow, but the music occasionally moves forward with a more deathly march. Desperate and anguished roars lead the way, with a good balance of crunchy guitars and some blackened harmonies, which give the whole music its very unique identity. For me Agnes Vein are their best whenever they drift into the more sinister and bleak side of their repertoire, like they prove with e.g. “Sovereign Star”, a song which carries a fantastic and unsettling atmosphere thanks to the creepy lead sequences dominating from the background.

Once the listener reaches the epic conclusion with the 11 minutes long epic “The Golgotha Entanglement” the maelstrom of power chords and emotional harmonies has completely enveloped him. With a more or less faultless production which combines organic power and crisp clarity “Deathcall” is a manifestation by a band who finally came to their own. This album is a must-have for doom metal fans in the first place, but fans of other metal sub-genres would be well advised to also give this one a concentrated listen.