October 23, 2012 • Forcefield Records
I saw this band play (briefly) back in their infancy in 2010, and while I was nonplussed by their early EP V: A Sepulcher to Swallow the Sea, I was pleasantly surprised to hear of the recent release of their full debut and that it's actually pretty good. Admittedly, it's nothing particularly special, but it's very well-done and scratches that black metal itch just right.
Bastard Sapling simply plays a very old-school variety of the genre. Lots of atmospheric, hazy tremolo guitars, fast drumming with plenty of blasting, choral samples, the works. It's relatively generic black metal—and I don't necessarily mean "generic" in a bad way, not in the same sense as "average" and they definitely aren't amateur. They simply take the tried-and-true atmospherics, moods, and intensities of the old standards and bring their own songwriting to it, and it's successful.
And what songwriting it is, too—such a diverse selection of riffs, some catchy, some melodic, some with unrelenting dissonant fury. It's a good mix, one that prevents the album from getting too repetitive, which is a relief considering the length of the songs. At no point do they pull out a line and repeat it ad nauseum like many atmospheric black metal bands tend to do. "The Apex of Suffering" showcases the songwriting best, where the rhythms and melodies shift quickly from softer melodic strains to deep, crunchy grooves to angry blasting. At no point does it ever really feel unnatural, either, giving everything a very organic feel (highly desirable, to be sure).
If I had to make one complaint (and of course I do), the vocals definitely come off as the weak point—and, considering how far back in the mix they are, I wonder if they knew it. While they aren't horrible, they don't really have much kick or emotion to them until the last couple minutes of the album. Maybe that's just me.
Regardless, for any fans of the first-wave black metal sound or modern atmospheric stuff, that's more or less what you're getting here and you'll already know if you will enjoy this. While the album may a while to really sink in, it's worth the time, and I congratulate the band for an impressive improvement over the last couple of years.
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