Tyrannic: Tyrannic Desolation
Reviewed by: Jon Santitoro
Review score: 8
Throughout it’s history, black metal has proven itself to be as diversified as it’s death metal counterpart, despite the constrictive “limitations” that often define it as a genre. Black metal is most often associated with frenzied guitar riffing and supersonic blast beats. But Australia’s Tyrannic have taken the opposite approach for their signature sound; maintaining theraw production of their influences while incorporating a more doom-laden Black Sabbath-esque style to their music.The third studio release from Tyrannic, Tyrannic Desolation, is a crushingeight song release that fans of thefirst generationof black/doom metal will doubtless enjoy.
Perhaps referring to Tyrannic Desolation as a black/doom crossover is a bit of an over-simplification. The songs are well crafted and not overly lengthy, and combine the best elements of both genres together in a nearly seamless (albeit still uncompromising) blend of musical extremity. The seemingly effortless flow of each track without having to rely on a more traditional “hook and riff” approach to the music is a solid testament to the band’s creativity and maturity as songwriters.
With the opening track, ‘Prophetic Eyes of Glass’, Tyrannic waste no time grabbing the listener’s attention. There’s no flowery acoustic intro or atmospheric sound effects here to ease you into the album. Just straight up brutal blackmetal that shifts easily from a stomping, destructive groove into down-tempo funeral doom highlighted by an outro guitar lead that, while not particularly flashy, fits perfectly within the context of the ending of the song.
As with the opener, the title track of Tyrannic Desolation comes out with all guns blazing. However, the trademark black metal savagery doesn’t last long as the track shifts into an almost gothic style midway through it’s nearly seven minute length. The vocal styles in this one also change throughout; switching from traditional black metal growls to clean to tortured screams and back again. It’s an interesting and varied composition, for sure.
‘Only Death Can Speak My Name’ might be the stand-out track of Tyrannic Desolation. It’s the shortest track overall, clocking in at four minutes and thirteen seconds, but it’s also the catchiest. It’s well executed, well placed, and serves as a nice change of pace without disrupting the overall continuity of the album.
The eight minute opus, ‘Stillbirth in Life’, opens the second half of the album in grand style. In stark contrast to ‘Only Death Can Speak My Name’, this monstrous piece showcases the more doom driven side of the band, as does the following track, ‘Dance on Graves Chained to the Labyrinth’. Both tracks exhibit an epic, larger-than-life feel while still maintaining that trademark black metal minimalism in production and effects. No small feat.
Tyrannic close out Tyrannic Desolation with ‘Morbid Sanctum’, another relatively short (4:54) piece that proves the band’s uncanny ability to deliver punishing extremity without having to rely on the tired, formulaic approach of many of their peers. The track itself has an overall faster pace than most of the album as a whole, particularly near the lead break midway through the song. It’s an effective and memorable closer, and should be a crowd favorite in the Tyrannic’s live set as well.
My only criticism of Tyrannic Desolation is the scattered use of clean vocals, which seem somewhat out of place on an album geared toward complete sonic destruction.
But overall, Tyrannic Desolation is as solid an album as one could ask for. It’s aggressive, heavy and moody throughout; at once both bare-bones and epic. Fans of old-school, raw black metal should find Tyrannic Desolation to be right up their alley.
Tyrannic Desolation is set for release 11/22/24 via Iron Bonehead Records.