Album Review: Veska – Unbound (Self Released)

Born of a vision of a world truly free, Unbound offers a path to liberation from the shackles placed upon us from birth. Be it spiritual or mundane, we are all to an extent bound by the delusions of the world around us. Unbound brings to the forefront that we have the power to break our chains and free ourselves. We need not seek any saving grace, for the strength to free ourselves lies within.

Delve in and let Unbound guide you down your own path to truth. The solo black metal project that is Veska will release ‘Unbound’ on January 13th, 2023.

The atmosphere has been set, now it’s time for the sound of hellacious heaviness to be unleashed. Starting with the explosivity of I Arise. Veska immediately hitting high levels of snarl vocally, while delivering a savage assault of instrumental heaviness. The clarity in sound, while having black metal rawness, is extremely striking.

A dark bit of melody transitions into the sound of danger, before Veska unleashes chaotic intensity with On Earth We’ll Reign, and following that up with a frenzy of heaviness with Cross the Veil. The vocals are at their most demonic sounding on the latter.

As good as the album has been so far though, it hits an all-time high with Twilight of the Arcane. An extravagant and grandiose example of how Veska’s black metal sound shifts and shimmers with exceptional ease. While nothing else on the album can come to close to matching that track’s quality, it’s not downhill from here either.

The mighty instrumental rhythm and exciting burst of speed of Ascending, the monstrous blast of grim that is Never Were, and the horror-laden drawl of Lightbringer. Three more tracks that deliver on the promise of exceptional black metal, and then some. Veska really is a talent, and if you needed further proof, the finale of White Flame Ablaze has you covered.

Links

Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram