The melodeath scene has seen an influx in the number of quality albums that have been coming out recently. With Wolfheart pumping out an album nigh on every two years, Omnium Gatherum putting the finishing touches to their new one and Dark Tranquility still riding high off their most recent release, it’s arguably never been a better time to be a melodeath fan.
“But how does this pertain to Barren Earth?” I hear you saying. Well, it’s through two melodeath bands that I first discovered Barren Earth. Back in 2017, Barren Earth toured the UK with Wolfheart and Insomnium and it was then that I was introduced to this eclectic and incredibly melodious group. Featuring of Moonsorrow, Kreator and other bands, it can almost be described as a melodic super-group. So without further ado, let’s get into the album.
Kicking things off rather nicely is the double whammy of “The Living Fortress” and “Ruby”. The former is more of what you would expect from a melodic death metal act with flowing melodies and a perfect blend of both harsh and clean vocal led parts. The latter however is more of a song you would probably find on death metal Dream Theater’s album. Driving rhythmic guitars and drums, the superb soloing of Sami Yli-Sirniö and the earth splitting harsh vocals of Jón Aldará easily make it one of my favourite tracks on the album.
“Zeal” caught me off guard ever so slightly with its introduction having an almost “pantomime villain” style to it. Pianos and the description of tearing flesh from bones makes for an intriguing listen and I’m almost sad that the band didn’t do a music video for this track. “Solitude Pith” takes a slightly different approach in that it brings out the weird and wacky sounds from bygone times. Organs (the musical type) are the theme of the day here with them creating an almost creepy fairground vibe.
Rounding the album out, “Spire” and “Withdrawal” could not be more polar opposite in regards to style. The former is similar in style to “Ruby” with its progressive grooves and driving rhythms commanding the majority of the track. The latter however is far more subdued and calming with the soothing vocals of Jón providing the icing atop the melodic cake. I think rounding out an album with a slightly calmer ending is better as it relaxes the listener and allows them to reflect and take in the rest of the songs. This is the case with this track as it perfectly summarises the whole album and ends things on a long fade out into nothingness.
I’ll be honest and say that A Complex of Cages was not what I was expecting. I’m as well versed with a lot of the bands’ older material but, in comparison to what I have heard, this album is a bit different. It’s different in a good way in that there is no track that is similar to others on the album. Each track tells its own unique story and can stand on its own two feet. I feel as though with this album, Barren Earth have found what they do best and that’s by being the death metal scene’s Dream Theater. Sure they may not be as big a band or as well known as them but, boy, can they write songs that are just as good.
Rating: 9/10
A Complex of Cages is out now
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