Amestigon - Thier (2015)^{Release ID: 10527}

New discoveries are what keep me occupied on the internet most days if I am honest.  Whether it is here at the Academy or one of the other many realms I dwell in on the worldwide web, I lose countless hours as one recommendation leads to a whole discography and then of course I am at the mercy of "similar" artists.  Amestigon inhabit the school of BM that moves between melodic and atmospheric passages to intense, authentic and raging riffing with ease.  The most lasting impression I got after one listen to Thier  was how well structured it was.  I mean the songwriting is of great quality and the columns that support these structures are solid.  Whether it's the authentic vocal styles, the resplendent riffs, the lead work or the consistent drumming there's lots of things to impress here.

Comprising of just four songs, Thier still clocks in at just under an hour.  That should give you some idea of the extent of the tracks on this record with none of them under ten minutes (the title track is twenty minutes).  It would be easy to get lost in something so vast and sprawling, but the aforementioned structure, the clever use of pace and a variety throughout all tracks means that you can't help but be captivated by the record.

Featuring Silenius (of Summoning fame) and Tharen (sometimes of Abigor) there is no real surprise here on the quality front.  Harrowing leads, spat vocals and dank atmospheres punctuate the album regularly enough to please the most authentic of BM fans but the triumph here is the overall record stands up so well as a standalone piece not just as a collection of songs.