Vidres A La Sang - Virtut Del Desencís

Vidres A La Sang is no stranger to the Brutalism site as we’ve reviewed them at least twice, and we get the honor of writing on them again two years later since their last effort with the band’s sixth full length album, ”Virtut del desencis.” For those that know this four piece well from Spain, they know that what these guys put out is a far cry from the average Blackened Death Metal release, delving anywhere from Solstafir to Immortal to mid era Satyricon ala “Rebel Extravaganza” era or even Imperial Triumphant minus the overused horn/ sax or atmospheric samples. Over the years as their albums have come, the band has constantly pushed its boundaries, trying not to be pigeonholed as strictly Blackened Death but more almost Avant-garde Metal, but not so out there like Arcturus is that they are all over the place. On “Virtut…” we hear the band at their Blackened Progressive stage, touching more along the lines of Ihsahn versus Satyricon, but the album has its mix of crushing tunes along with wondrously melodic.

The album opens with the rather retro lo-fi intro before launching into the jarring riffs and pounding drums, but while not quite the pit starter, it rather lumbers along with the snarled vocals and rather melodic guitar lines mixed with the core chugging ones. Then the clean vocals come in and it is clear that band is still out there trying new things and doing everything they can to expand their sound. As said before in past reviews, they strive to avoid the usual Dark Funeral comparison. While not quite a ferocious beast, the guitars really draw in the focus here along with the drums especially when the solos get going, and there are even some Eastern Melechesh sounding rhythms in there. ‘Sempre…’ is a bouncy tune that almost touches on Power Metal with some of the vocal moments as they go for the dramatic moments, definitely leaning more towards the progressive as opposed to the heavy, but avoiding being a sleeper for sure.  For those looking for the band at their heaviest, yet still melodic, ‘L’elegia Des…’ is a bit more raw and throaty on the vocals along with more frantic chugging riffs, even though it has its quiet parts too where the vocals despite being screamed sound their most emotional.

There is no shortage of lengthy tracks here, and Vidres has made it a staple to expect length with their music. While boasting only 6 pieces, there is plenty to soak up so listeners don’t feel like they aren’t getting their time’s worth if they buy the album. Even the short tracks like ‘Capricis…’ features some of the better guitar moments as it shifts from slow to fast and just builds so one doesn’t get bored. Some might feel that the closing ‘Llagrimes…’ carries on a bit too long and lingers a bit as the band demonstrates some of their slower parts on the vocals and guitars as it takes nearly 4 minutes to really get into the heavier stuff, but like any good atmospheric album by the likes of Leviathan or Mayhem, sometimes the quiet really hooks in listeners. And overall, that is what “Virtut…” does best- sink in hooks. Some bands aim for a grandiose sound like Septicflesh or want to get right in one’s face/ ears like older Emperor, but sometimes it is the build that keeps listeners around the most like bands such as Dark Fortress did. Vidres A La Sang is a group that may not appeal to the average Metal fan, but those who like a focus of shifting pace, a variety of vocals, and a rather epic journey that avoids the repetitive riff for too long or adding in filler elements like backing vocals too often will find “Virtut…” another solid release from the band. These guys are definitely worth checking out if anyone wants to venture into the more adventurous side of Black or Death Metal.

4 / 5 STARS