Album art by Detestor Graphics
Style: Post-black metal (harsh vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Deafhaven, Heretoir
Country: Sweden
Release date: 6 September 2024
I’ve had a soft spot for the type of black metal that’s watered down by other subgenres for as long as I’ve been reviewing music, so my love affair with post-black metal/blackgaze should be of little surprise. The manner in which it blends the raw intensity of black metal with ethereal and emotional flavours is akin to a cathartic ray of light—a way to show hope within the darkness. That combination is something that routinely plucks at my heartstrings like Nero fiddling away while Rome burns.
Together to the Stars is no exception—I was already familiar with their entire catalog, and admittedly very excited coming into this third release. Their previous two LPs had showcased the two sides to this band which I’ve grown to really like: a by-the-numbers, climax heavy post-black side on An Oblivion Above that delivered on long build ups and harrowingly beautiful production, and a rawer, crunchier blackgaze side with a bigger focus on standard songs and a heftier punch on As We Wither. However, the wide disconnect between both releases left me wondering what direction they’d take for their third release; would they create another completely different sound? Would they just repeat one of their previous sounds? Would they mix them both? In any case, if there’s one thing I can say, it’s that Together to the Stars did not disappoint.
The Fragile Silence maintains the core songwriting process present in their debut and its heavenly atmosphere with some of the rawer, deeply emotional sections found in their sophomore. This creates an album that is at an all time high in terms of theatrics and angst; the guitar melodies accompanying the black metal blueprint feel grand and sweeping. Meanwhile, vocalist Franco Fuentes pulls off a performance that drowns you in anguish, building on grand melodies and climaxes, the few quieter sections that occur post climax haunted by this feeling of grief-stricken nostalgia. Add multiple orchestral breaks on top of all that and you’ve got an album that aims straight for your heart.
Such a specific sound can be very hit or miss, but it definitely hits for me. I connected with The Fragile Silence the second that incredible first riff in “Mercurius” hit; a simple yet effective way to open an album with a beautiful, haunting melody that sends you back in time to a memory that feels both so close yet so distant’ it’s as if the dreampop soundscapes of Deafheaven blended itself with the cathartic combination of heavy riffs and strong melodies of subgenre mainstays like Heretoir. The shrieks join in shortly after while it straps in your belt and sends you down a typical black-metal soundscape of blast beats and tremolo riffs all the while maintaining strong major chord melodies with orchestral undertones. The tune then masterfully balances the grim atmosphere and hopeful melodies with the help of a few brief acoustic interludes that help space out the riff-fest present throughout the second half of the song. This core formula doesn’t change at all throughout the record, but clocking it at just over forty minutes means that Together to the Stars get the most out of this musical landscape without causing any ear fatigue.
While there are few apparent flaws to break The Fragile Silence, the production value isn’t quite as good as it could be. Together to the Stars thrive in their grandiosity and even manage to include some trickier instruments like violins without ruining the entire sound of a song. but some sections, particularly in the drums have an unnecessary rawness to try to enhance the emotions on display; this leads to the rhythm section disappearing into the background washing them out in an otherwise clear, crisp mix.
But even then, that’s only a very small issue in a general experience that connected with me on a level that little music has done in a while. The Fragile Silence is a marvelous display of how to do emotionally charged extreme metal, and while it might not bring anything you haven’t already heard to the table, it’ll make a fine addition to your collection of post-black albums for those times you need to be hit straight in the feels.
Recommended tracks: Mercurius, The Last Glacier
You may also like: Constellatia, Ba’al, Evergarden
Final verdict: 8/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Label: Northern Silence Productions – Bandcamp | Facebook
Together to the Stars is:
– David Steinmarck (keyboards, guitars, vocals)
– William Zackrisson (keyboards, guitars)
– Sebastian Ryderberg (bass)
– Magnus Brolin Stjärne (drums)
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