Review by Jeger on July 10, 2024.

Black metal is of course known for transcendence in both sound and of concept. To boldly explore rarely-traversed pathways through the realm of the metaphysical where all limitations and barriers are broken or perhaps never even existed. A universe to be discovered within the sphere of black metal, not just Satanism and Devil worship. And it's contemporary black metal collectives such as Canada's Liminal Shroud who've - with much zeal - made themselves at home in this place that is no place at all but a creative Absu where the futile laws of our reality mean nothing and only what lies beyond the crepuscular gleam of otherworldly horizons matters. On July 5, 2024 Liminal Shroud unveiled their third LP, Visions Of Collapse, via Willowtip Records.

Five tracks - 44 minutes worth of what could be considered a two-faced recording - vanilla on one hand with not much in the way of dynamic range and less-is-more, momentum and energy standing paramount on the other. I've listened to some really disjointed modern black metal albums; shit that just shouldn't be crafted under the black metal crest, but nonetheless Dawn Ray'd were around for a while in their please stop making music right now state of embarrassment and Pestlegion - the world of black metal's biggest group of posers are a thing, so I'm always skeptical going into albums of this variety. Black metal is a way of life and these types of LP's have a way of genretizing what should be a life code. But here we are and as I take in tracks one - three: 'Nocturnal Phosphorescence', 'Nucleonic Blight' and 'Resolve', I find myself wondering what I'm gonna do for the kids for dinner tonight, because this shit is boring… There's buildup, but not into much of anything. It's like the notes flurry and the beats fly to this compressed sort of energy until it all crests and then! Lazy, melancholic melodic parts that drag on too long and fail to grip. Passage after dull passage and very little reciprocation to keep one interested. If you can sit through the aforementioned 'Resolve' then my hat's off to you…

Tonality is nice, pristine product and a very pro-grade mix. In those ways, Visions Of Collapse will sound appealing, but it never ceases to amaze me how everything can be right where it needs to be compositionally and somehow so far off when it comes to capturing even the most basic of black metal elements: wickedness, aggression and the great Faustian spirit nowhere to be found here. And that's not to say that all black metal should sound like Gorgoroth, but it should at least be realized by persons who understand what black metal is. This is just music that happens to sound like black metal… I could see fans of Killswitch Engage really digging this one.

'Malaspina'? Where has this energy and creative prowess been? An elaborate track put together while in the throes of inspiration no doubt, but damn it, more Charlie Brown's teacher-like chants that have my finger hovering over the skip button once more… Okay, these dudes are seriously good at writing intros to songs… It's just everything else that follows that fails to captivate and Jesus Christ, am I listening to Liminal Shroud here or Blackbraid? 'The Carving Scythe' sounds like a blatant ripoff of the North American tribal BM’ers and what's worse is they suck too!

Okay, I'm out. Wish I had the last hour of my life back. I hate butchering albums and this only happens when one looks so fucking epic going in but just doesn't deliver the goods. A rare lambasting on my part, but a deserved one. Just not a very good black metal album. It doesn't even feel much like black metal. UADA are able to pull that off, but Liminal Shroud are not. Feels generic, plastic and did I mention boring? These albums make you run for your favorites once you’ve endured them. As I throw on some Inquisition… Ah, much better…

Rating: 3.5 out of 10