Album Review: With The End In Mind – Unraveling; Arising (Temple of Torturous Records)

Hailing from Olympia, Washington, black metal’s With The End In Mind will unleash their debut full-length album, Unraveling; Arising, on July 6th via Temple of Torturous Records. Combining elements of atmospheric post-metal and ripping black metal to create a listen that can be described as epic.

An utterly spell-binding release, Unraveling; Arising is not like any post-metal/black metal release heard in quite some time. With the End in Mind don’t use the word journey lightly as opening track, Sings the Sky comes in at over 14 minutes. Haunting atmospheric melody, soft and clean vocals…you would have no clue you’re listening to a black metal record until the pace-increase a couple of minutes in. Once it does, well…forget melody, it’s all about savageness with a plenty of atmosphere sitting in the background.

Anguish Symmetry does things the other way around, kicking off with ferocious and old-school black metal heaviness before dropping into sorrowful melody.

The shortest track is the title track, an intermission if you will. A couple of minutes of atmospheric noise with the haunting sound of a man singing softly over it. It’s a welcome break splitting the album up perfectly as From the True Source brings some of the most intense music so far and some of the best melodic moments too.

Exhausted? A less brutalising finale comes with Wheeling, Endlessly Wheeling thanks to the return of the subtle female vocals that appeared in the opening track. It caps of a stunning debut from With the End in Mind.

With the End in Mind – Unraveling; Arising Full Track Listing:

1. Sings the Sky
2. Anguish Symmetry
3. Unraveling; Arising
4. From The True Source
5. Wheeling, Endlessly Wheeling

You can order the album via Bandcamp and via Temple of Torturous Records here. Find out more/keep up to date with news by checking out the band’s website.