A good storyline will drive the quality of a record. A stereotype that is almost always true. A great storyline, however, will knock it out of the park. And that is where Blighted Eye strut onto the scene like the bright green Cookie Monster. I’m hearing, Agony’s Bespoke rides into battle on the tale of Clare, a deported convict violently abused by Australian settlers, as described in the 2018 movie ‘The Nightingale’. And to transform these brutal moving pictures into an Extreme Metal piece definitely turns this slightly nauseating tale into a damned great storyline. Thus as the lore goes, only great things can spring from this. Or can they?
But whatever may come out of this, such a tall tale begs for growls and grand, ominous soundscapes. And that is exactly what Agony’s Bespoke will get you. A new definition of complexity rushes into the limelight whenever the stiffly paced Tragoedia roars forth in densely written staccato fashion. This record is a no-holds-barred avalanche of Progressive Death and Melodic Death Metal with a penchant for some dissonance (Pallid). And often, the band strays gleefully into Insomnium‘s realm – and beyond.
But the axemen truly cut it on this here record. They serve a feast of the best cuts of rough-hewn guitar geekery on offer. From feisty progressive riffing and vile Death Metal chugs to dreamy leads, suddenly waltzing into ambient and reflective modes. At one moment, their fare is overly caustic ready to burn the skin off your ears, just to turn into silky soft passages without batting a proverbial eye. And all of this chaotic instrumental miasma perfectly embeds the ever-present and brutally effective vocals. Death growls and Black Metal rasps trade places with doom-laden monologues and weird clear voice passages. A performance perfectly aligned to the brutal and gory theme on display.
And yet. Grand even grandiose soundscapes truly are one of Blighted Eye‘s forte, no contest there. But, while undeniable musical talent is on full display, the inherent complexity often is the record’s worst enemy. This whole shebang feels as if any and all ideas of the band had to somehow find their space in this here production.
And that often left us with a feeling of bloat, of an overwhelming wall of sound that didn’t leave enough room for all those terrible sentiments to sink in. No sinking feeling of dread and unease makes any appearance anywhere as it should, despite the drama. Instead, a merciless cold machine grinds into action, lobbing little bomblets of varying facets of Extreme Metal at the unsuspecting fan crowd. Brutality garnished with unintelligible growls, rasps, and snarls. With a bit of dissonance and ambients here and there, and sudden forays into majestic Melodic Death Metal. And that left our equally stone-cold metal souls pretty much unmoved.
Ultimately though, Agony’s Bespoke still remains a good record despite its undeniable shortcomings. The album definitely tries to be too many things all at once. And this ended in a chaotic, overly lengthy, frosty, and often somewhat incoherent delivery. An overwhelming wall of sound fueled by too many ideas – good or bad – and not enough restraint. And by that token, the band somehow failed to inject enough emotion into a gory tale of rape, bloody murder, and death.
However, the talent and musical prowess positively scream at you in Agony’s Bespoke‘s astute delivery and full-throated dramatic production. I am sure with a bit more constraint and a tad more sentiment, this behemoth would have seriously moved toward greatness. Alas, this time, the piece didn’t quite get there.
Record Rating: 6/10 | Label: Beyond The Top Records | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 20 September 2024