ALBUM REVIEW: Tyrannic – Tyrannic Desolation

Australia’s Tyrannic play a mystical and malevolent distillation of ancient Black / Doom Metal. Their third full length album is now set for release via Iron Bonehead Productions on November 22nd.

Wild guitars scream forth from the abyss with dissonant and untamed riffing. The reverberate drums have a snappy, chaotic feeling to them which meet the unhinged vocals in malicious harmony. Instantly you can hear an unusual cult charm that doesn’t sound too much like other bands while Tyrannic clearly have the traditional Black Metal spirit at the heart of their craft. Doomy atmospherics and graven savagery warp into a grim concoction of vengeful evil. With the rawness of the mix showing the hostile intentions of the band and a sadistic execution to the songwriting, this is merciless and venomous Black Metal for fans of real underground barbarity. Their sense of dynamic songwriting and unique flares have a distinct Eastern Bloc feeling to them despite being Australian. Perhaps a healthy dose of Czech, Slovakian and Hungarian records was ingested by the artists or perhaps it is a happy coincidence, but either way I love to hear it. A strong, striking start to what promises to be an unusual and brilliant record.

Ravishing darkness and bewitching musical radiance blend walls of varied and wonderful drumming with some warped and macabre riffing to wonderful effect. The leads are equally archaic and magnificent in their approach and the vocals remain tormenting and vicious. Indeed Tyrannic feels like a band with a singular and potent vision of morbid rites that must have been executed to their exact standard for this to work so well. Unchained and boundless, each twist is exciting and unpredictable with diverse ideas coming together gloriously in a coherent manner. Those slow sections pound poisonous eeriness into the spirit while the pouring of extremity and clever hooks is like a liquor of intoxicating malice. While Tyrannic are definitely a unique band, I do hear some Mortuary Drape, Craft, Mayhem and Tormentor in their work which is a perfect set of influences to conjure the demonic apparitions of real Black Metal in all of its ghoulish glory.

Blending those first wave elements with the bands own sickening twists of haunting and malevolent songwriting, the phantasms of the past return from the crypts with the intent to harm. There is a looseness to this recording that feels authentically mad, and brilliant, condemning convention and keeping the thrilling lust for blood pumping strong. The diabolical and the mystical certainly feel present throughout listening to this album as howling vocals suddenly cut blasting drums or psychotic guitar work. The wildness and freedom to write as they please is certainly rewarding to behold. Perverse and yet beautiful, Tyrannic hold so many things in a balance that while chaotic, is ultimately pleasurable and profound. Sometimes a drum fill on the higher toms, or a soaring lead, or Tom Araya styled shriek just injects pure Heavy Metal madness when it is needed. Sometimes we venture into the murky territories of doom or the morbid catacombs of death. But whatever happens, the Black Metal spirit and vision remains undying, bold and scolding for the duration of this material.

The spectres are summoned for the sabbath, Tyrannic have released a majestically evil and luxurious new album of vitriol and ecstasy. Powerful and refined yet unfettered by modern deviances from the old ways, this record is a titan of twisted genius and diabolism. In each of its many facets you will find the creeping sense of dread and the stench of death, while the triumphant blend of emotions purges the soul of complacency. “Tyrannic Desolation” is a truly excellent album.