I didn't know what to expect when I stumbled upon Brazen Tongue's debut effort Of Crackling Embers & Sorrows Drowned on Bandcamp. The band, originally formed as a two-piece with Scott Skopec on guitars and vocals and Ethan Gifford on guitar, took support from session musicians Frank Lato on bass and Kevin Paradis on drums. The mix of melodic death metal and prog death influences sounds promising for a debut, so a deep dive is necessary to better understand the band's manifestation.
First of all, Brazen Tongue is not reinventing the wheel here, nor do they promise to do so. Of Crackling Embers is a band stepping into well-known territory with some familiar sounds up their sleeves. This is a risky move, considering how wide and diverse this genre is, but the band is confident in themselves as they made a prog-influenced melodic death metal album in 2024 with materials we've heard many times. These materials are strong, yet they still managed to craft a fairly enjoyable record. While it is unfortunately a forgettable experience, Of Crackling Embers & Sorrows Drowned is worth your attention if you're a fan of the genre, like myself.
I hear lots of past influences in Brazen Tongue's sound, but the most dominant influence comes from a fairly new band. While the band uses high-power riffing and blast beats, some of their mid-tempo moments reminded me a lot of Fires in the Distance, which I consider one of the most successful melodeath bands of the 2020s. Embracing this kind of atmosphere requires a more diverse sound than their current production. While everything in the mix is clearly heard, the overly polished sound makes it hard to focus on the feels. As a drummer myself, I admire Kevin Paradis' skills and what he brought to the table, but the drum mix somehow makes it feel like it's programmed. When it comes to guitars, the loud production sometimes prevents their nuances, and in some harmony moments, the guitars feel disconnected.
The opener sets the tone with a focused piece under a four-minute runtime, but it's not a clear statement of what we'll hear, saving some spices for later moments. After the opener, we have another fast-paced track called "Metaviral," where drums and riffs feel more complete. However, the main influences start to showcase themselves in the middle of the record with the slow-burning, Gothenburg sadness-influenced "Last Train from Myrdal." While I found the track fairly enjoyable due to its influences and my personal tastes, the tapping harmony sections in the last two minutes killed my vibe because the two guitar tracks feel far away from each other and buried in the mix. It's undeniable that they have created some beautiful melodies, but I wish we could hear them clearer.
The album continues with a couple more solid yet forgettable melodeath tracks. "The Recidivist" showcases Skopec's vocal abilities in his full range, and "Beneath the Broken Trees" gives us a few headbangable moments that feel the same as the rest of the album. However, the closer, "The Maddening Symmetries," is a different subject. The slow-burn vibes we heard in "Last Train from Myrdal" return with a ten-minute composition. While it doesn't break the album's flow, this piece specifically feels different—the harmony mixes are better, and the guitars feel more durable in the mix. The mix problems might be caused by the time zone differences between the two band members, considering they were far away from each other during the writing sessions. Even if the record feels incomplete due to its mixing problems, sound differences, and general lack of originality, the fact that they managed to create a collection of songs that pass the 40-minute mark with some extended pieces is impressive. While I don't think Brazen Tongue has reached their potential with their debut effort, I'm excited about what they have up their sleeves next.
Highlights:
The Weight of Self
Metaviral
The Maddening Symmetries
Rating: 6.0 / 10
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