VISITANT

VISITANT     “Rubidium”

By Dr. Abner Mality

Here’s a good example of a band whose music I don’t particularly like, yet I can appreciate the craft and thought that went into it. They are quite a mish-mash of styles and subgenres, but can best be described as a cross between symphonic black metal and deathcore, with progressive and Gothic influences also noticeable. This seems to be typical of what’s popular in recent years...a mix of everything under the sun but jacked up to the extreme.

There is for sure a resemblance to DIMMU BORGIR and CRADLE OF FILTH that can be found in very lush keyboard work and melodies. There are symphonic parts to “Briars” and “Starless” that are really exquisite. But often they are mixed with total blasting black/death mayhem...the mix of machine gun drumming and semi-classical melodies has always been an awkward one. But I can see deathcore fans getting into the most extreme parts of VISITANT.

The band boasts a female singer, Chelsea Marrow, who screams like a witch being burned alive but can also do more tuneful, almost poppy tones. “Envy’s Lament” has a lot of pop Gothic vocal lines, which is something I can usually do without, but which shows versatility. Ironically, the brief ending instrumental “Moon Bathe” emerges as one of my favorites...a perfect mix of cooler moments and heavier parts which are not as blasting as what’s found elsewhere.

The album is fairly short as well, so it’s not overly taxing. It’s well played and well produced and there’s real talent in VISITANT. I’m just not a big fan of this particular style of metal.

EXITUS STRATAGEM RECORDS 

VISITANT