Originally written by Jordan Campbell
The eyeliner-clad, New York based duo known as Velonnic Sin specializes in guitar-centric, warlike black metal. Armed with a serious mid-periodMarduk influence, as well as a knack for acute melody injection, the band has a number of things going for them, and just as many holding them back.
The band blows their wad early, as the first proper track, “Vengeance and the Gray”, is the most effective of the eight that comprise Ophidious. The guitars froth with a slight death metal buzz, and the drumming takes on a suitably North American wardrive. Contorting and twisting with tasteful tempo changes to tell an impressive story throughout the song’s five-minute running length, they set the bar at a decent height here. Unfortunately, the remainder of the songs aren’t as effective, and often extend into seven-minute-plus territory unnecessarily. For example, mid-paced passages like “Impurity” and the first few minutes of “Wyrm” are lackluster, burdened by weak riffs and a distracting production that varies in quality seemingly from minute-to-minute.
Drummer N. Infernum has serious chops, but his skills are rendered awkward at times, especially in the spots where he and mainman Velinnos are firing in tandem. Instead of meshing with each other, they sound as if they are playing from separate rooms, and this makes for an abrasive listening experience….as does the general sameness and forgettability of the too-long compositions found herein. These songs are not without merit, as the band takes themeselves seriously. However, it should be expected that a band like Velonnic Sin, carrying themselves with an air of heightened awareness, would give their wares a more forceful and effective presentation. Despite their flashes of fury and venom, the band fails to impress. Truncated song lengths, a sharper sense of immediacy, and a more professional execution would serve this band well, especially if they desire to uproot themselves from fourth-tier status and into the ears of black metal enthusiasts worldwide.
