Tyrannic is a black metal band from Australia, who formed in 2010. Their latest album, “Tyrannic Desolation,” is their third full-length album; they have also released two demos, a split, a compilation, and an EP.
Tyrannic is definitely black metal but, if this album is any indication, they are also doom metal. There is a strong element of that style throughout the album and, considering it’s my favorite genre, I’m right here for it.
“Tyrannic Desolation,” is certainly an interesting album that embraces many of the old-school leanings of black metal. It’s a raw approach that is bursting at the seams of its leather with desolation and cold, bleak music. Nothing here is flashy, overdone, and bloated with anything other than, well, straight up black metal.
But their doom elements help the album so much—this part of their sound doesn’t so much as change the direction of the album as it does improve it. The slow to mid-paced parts keep the album fresh and riff based…."Tyrannic Desolation” has a lot of kick ass riffs!
The tone of the drums is fantastic—very organic but focused as hell. Vocalist/drummer R knows exactly what each song needs and runs with it without being overbearing. I think the band is a trio but I’m not not sure who plays bass. Regardless, the bass is just as potent as the drums and together they provide a solid low end/foundation.
The band is at their best when the doom and black metal are combined, such as in the opening song, “Prophetic Eyes of Glass.” The riffs, courtesy of J, are groovy yet they still have that dangerous underground tone to them. The song speeds up at a moment's notice, which adds to the unknown fury the band casts out. I love the middle part of the song, which goes from slow headbanging like it’s 1987 to a darkly melancholic passage.
The title track is a banger, this time the band focusing more on the traditional black metal elements they offer, at least for the song’s opening moments. The guitar solo is a nice touch, a clever way in pushing the song forward to the doom parts where the band goes from frigid waters to scorched earth. The final half is gripping, R’s vocals clawing from a tomb, looking for a fresh kill for a bloodmeal.
“Stillbirth In Still Life,” is one of my favorites on the album–the opening moments are a surprisingly Gothic passage that wouldn’t sound out of place on an old school Paradise Lost or My Dying Bride album. This song takes its time, seeping in under the skin only to rip it slowly, an inch at a time. The vocals and drums compliment each other so goddamn well, each of them reaching for heights of pure desperation before coming down like a hammer.
“Dance On Graves Chained To The Labyrinth,” is another favorite of mine. The riffs are not unlike the previous song––macabre and thick. But around the 2:14 mark, the song takes a different turn with a surprisingly emotive guitar solo. The scream in the middle of it is harrowing as the notes begin to shred a little before getting more introspective. Near the end, it builds up to an epic climax. This song is quite surprising and placed perfectly in the track list as the album nears its conclusion. The atmospheric melodies at the song’s end are something else and a very welcomed addition.
The final song, “Morbid Sanctum,” wastes no time in providing a singular, devastating conclusion to the album. The riffs and drums in the beginning are sweltering and nearly exhausting. The first half is suffocating doom but by the time the halfway mark is reached, groovy and psychotic riffage birth from the darkness, an almost hypnotic passage that is engaging as it is morbid.
Tyrannic’s “Tyrannic Desolation,” is another late year surprise for me that offers a sterling combination of black and doom, using each genre to compliment the other while providing a balanced, cohesive collection of chilling songs.
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