Album Review: Contrarian – Only Time Will Tell (Willowtip Records)

Progressive Death Metal titans Contraian are set to release their fourth album, Only Time Will Tell, on November 20th 2020 via Willowtip Records!

Only Time Will Tell is Contraian‘s fourth studio album. Once again, a concept album that deals with the band’s familiar topics of philosophy and theology. This time, the band’s mascot ‘the cloaked contrarian” endeavours on an adventure of time travel for redemption and love.

Detailed progressive metal but with plenty of death-infused heaviness to cause palpitations. Contraian unveil their new story and journey in beastly fashion. Where the howls of guitar cut through the wall of ferocity, driven by the percussion and vocals, with ease. The first couple of tracks, In the Blink of an Eye and The Final Hour sending the mind spiralling into a dark pit of memories. Especially the segment at the end of the latter track, where bleak melody and horror-infused sounds/whispering attack the senses.

That works as a nice transition into the unusual ambience of Beat the Clock. An instrumental that conveys the feeling of being lost and alone in a dark and uncomfortable place. One where there is light but it just seems so far away, the urgency required to escape, building upwards.

Case Closed, The Mega Metropolis and Scarlet Babylon sees Contraian bringing more and more effortless progressive sounds to the forefront. The unyielding assault of ringing drum beats, wild guitar structures and the guttural fury of the vocals. It’s one of the most focused progressive death releases of the year. In particular as Contraian keep things so considered and concise. It’s a breathe of fresh air to hear something that doesn’t descend into nonsense riff-wankery.

Although, there is one track that pushes the limits. However, it’s the final track (Your Days Are Numbered) of the album, so can be easily be forgiven. Thanks in no small part to being an absolute rager that holds up its end of the bargain by never giving an ounce of breathing room. What also helps make this a strong finale is that the track before it, the title track, is haunting ambience with just an air of threat to it.

Thanks to a focused and detailed effort from Contraian, Only Time Will Tell is one of the progressive death metal stars of the this year’s album release catalogue!

Contraian – Only Time Will Tell Full Track Listing:

1. In the Blink of an Eye
2. The Final Hour
3. Beat the Clock
4. Case Closed
5. The Mega Metropolis
6. Scarlet Babylon
7. Only Time Will Tell
8. Your Days Are Numbered

Links

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