Review by Nekrist on September 4, 2024.

Gothic metal tends to be judged as an overly exaggerated and unconvincing style on many occasions, however, this German duo known as The Vision Bleak breaks with these paradigms and offers music of the highest quality, a sense of melody and, broadly speaking, a simply masterful level of composition. I discovered this band by chance while listening to doom metal in its different forms. The authentic and convincing sound of The Vision Bleak did not leave me indifferent and encouraged me to take a stroll through their discography, being, their most recent album entitled Weird Tales (An Opus Of Darkness And Grandeur) the one that would reaffirm all the greatness that I expected from these German musicians.

Weird Tales (An Opus Of Darkness And Grandeur) is a journey that takes us through a sinister but romantic symphony (in the most gothic and tragic sense of the word), being a grandiloquent album that is performed like a Victorian opera or dark theater, which is at the same time delicate and elegant. This album features several “movements” that tell stories of a dark and very deep romance, exalting the esoteric feelings and archetypes explored in the lyrics of each track. Although this album is composed to be enjoyed as a whole, the great level of composition previously exposed allows each section to be enjoyed individually, my favorites being 'In Rue d'Auseil' and 'Canticle', for exemplifying and perfectly concretizing all the elements that make this a great work. Konstanz and Schwadorf's voices intertwine to create very memorable vocal lines, pendulating between harsh vocals alongside clean voices that serve as a balm throughout the album, balancing melody and aggression.

The riffs tend to have an epic, very melodic, and nostalgic sound that, again, is balanced with good hooks and groove, the drums can range from more “rocker” rhythms to implementing the use of blast beats that come into perfect harmony in each part of the album. The cover art and the song titles of each segment make it very clear that there is quality here, and that even the smallest detail was delicately polished and calculated to present a work of high artistic content and great beauty.

A huge step forward in the career of this band, which, like good wine, matures and improves with the passing of the years.

Rating: 10 out of 10