The Polish symphonic black metal 'super-group' known as Vesania have been around now for over a decade, but have been pretty dormant on the recording scene since 2007. Now seven years later, they've unleashed their brand new studio album on Metal Blade, titled Deus Ex Machina. The Pedigree of this band speaks for itself, as Orion (guitars, vocals), Daray (drums), Siegmar (keyboards), Heinrich (bass), and Valeo (guitars) are all current or former members of Behemoth, Dimmu Borgir, Vader, Hunter, and Decapitated.
While nothing you are going to hear on Deus Ex Machina is going to be considered overly original or groundbreaking, it's still very well crafted symphonic black metal for anyone into Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, or Old Man's Child. Siegmar drops in his orchestral synth textures on the raging "Disillusion" amid a furious onslaught of manic riffs, pulverizing drum blasts, and Orion's raging growls. "Vortex" features some of the albums most insistent riffing at the outset, but then quickly morphs into a hazy ambient soundscape, while "Dismay" allows the band to dive into more progressive waters as the haunting keyboards drift over intricate rhythms and layers of aggressive guitar riffs. Orion's vocals are very well done throughout, his anguished growls coming from deep within on the crushing "Notion" and he gets all maniacal on the frantic, symphonic, blast beat driven ripper "Disgrace".
Whether you think the whole symphonic black metal thing has outlived its usefulness or not doesn't hide the fact that Deus Ex Machina is a damn good album. It's not going to set the world on fire by any means, but Vesania have pushed all the right buttons here, delivering a melodic, classy extreme metal release that shows that they still have plenty left to offer fans of this style of music.
Track Listing
1) Halflight
2) Innocence
3) Disillusion
4) Vortex
5) Dismay
6) Glare
7) Notion
8) Disgrace
9) Fading
10) Scar
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