Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough

January 15, 2010

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

I could scarcely believe it when I learned that a new Krallice record was to be released.  It wasn’t that I thought they’d be a one-record phenomenon, but that I found it nothing short of astonishing that, considering the density and intricacy of their material, they’d be able to write, produce, and release another album a mere 16 months after the release of their incredible eponymous debut.  To be fair, I don’t actually know when the songs on Dimensional Bleedthrough were written, but it doesn’t really matter, as the album, like the debut, is an unmistakable testament to the immense talent contained in this extraordinarily unique band.

You know a band is something special when they elicit the type of drastic dichotomy in opinions that Krallice does.  People who’ve heard them generally feel very strongly about them one way or the other, as they are simply the type of band that can’t be treated with jaded indifference.  While their music is admittedly not for every black metal fan, any fan of intense, intelligent music would be doing themselves a great disservice if they didn’t give Dimensional Bleedthrough a listen, as it’s an eloquent and absorbing continuation of the avant-garde progressive style introduced on the debut. 

The almost overwhelming guitar work of Mick Barr and Colin Marston is once again the point of focus, with their mind-bending interplay again moving in and out of harmonic/disharmonic cooperation.  As opposed to the debut, however, the songs seem a bit more focused with some more conventional metal chords existing amongst the endless lines of tremolo fury.  The album opens with the title track, an oddly upbeat, uncharacteristically conventionally-structured piece that I have no problem at all calling the finest thing they’ve yet to record.

As alluded to earlier, the musicianship on display on Dimensional Bleedthrough is simply unmatched in its skillfulness.  From the veritable wizardry of the guitars to the inhuman abilities of drummer Lev Weinstein, and the much more audible bass playing of Nick McMaster, whose death metal-esque vocals arrive as an exceptionally welcomed addition, Krallice have delivered a truly epic, illustrious album that’s without question a challenging listen that is more than worth the effort.  After a dozen or more listens, I’m still pleasantly surprised by previously undiscovered nuances.  The fact that Dimensional Bleedthrough creates a genuine yearning for these repeated listens as opposed to a suffocating frustration is a true mark of its genius.

Release Date: November 11, 2009
Label:  Profound Lore Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Dimensional Bleedthrough
2.  Autocthon
3.  Aridity
4.  The Mountain
5.  Intraum
6.  Untitled
7.  Monolith of Possession

Total playing time: 1:17:10

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