The deeper one explores the vast universe of music’s possible varieties, the less time is generally reserved for that which is intentionally regressive in nature. I love the old school as much as the next guy, there is a critical mass for such things. There is also often an urge to resist really great examples of retro-minded metal, as was the case with my digesting of Vallenfyre’s sophomore outing, Splinters.
Initial thoughts almost tried to find fault in the derivative sound, but after a while, impressions such as “Sounds like drunk Asphyx” morphed into “Okay, I could maybe get down with this for a while” and finally to the inevitable “I give in, crush me.” Spend enough time with something, and if quality exists, it will trump any bias against the derivative. And man, Splinters is aces.
Much of the album’s success comes from Vallenfyre’s collective “superish group” pedigree. Guitars are handled by a pair of Peaceville grads in Paradise Lost’s Gregor Mackintosh (also on burly vocals) and ex-My Dying Bride man Hamish Hamilton Glencross. The rhythm section consists of plays-drums-for-everybody wiz Adrian Erlandsson and a bassist named Scoot (of Doom, Alehammer, Extinction of Mankind, and wait… Nailbomb?!). All bring their A game in dropping just about the heaviest, thickest, most thump-thumpinest thing any of these dudes have played on in a long time.
The other thing really working in the album’s favor? That Stockholm, half-Sunlight twist that Vallenfyre tosses on Asphyx’s doom/death thing. “Scabs” and “Odious Bliss” bring the fast-paced Frostian gallop (the latter even has a nice “Circle of the Tyrants”-type slowdown), while “Bereft” and the masterful title track – in which Mackintosh’s vocals are at their best – offer the doooooom. A boatload of great riffs – the band gets damn near Crowbarian during the chorus of “Dragged to Gehenna” – and hints of Mackintosh’s early melodic doom/death material in Paradise Lost also help to keep things going. Deserving of a special nod is Erlandsson’s performance, as he blasts and thuds to his heart’s delight all over the speedy parts and shows a true depth of dynamics during the lurching doom. A lesser drummer may have left this material feeling all too plain, but he thrives.
When all is said and done, the overwhelming point that should be made about Splinters is this: The band is having a rollicking blast within these 43 minutes. Much in the same way it was impossible to ignore Bloodbath’s pure enjoyment on Resurrection Through Carnage, Vallenfyre’s fun here is obvious. Okay, it isn’t that good, but you get the picture: veteran metal dudes playing the music of their youth, and killing it.
