Dawn of Ouroboros - The Art of Morphology (2020)

Unleashing a very unique musical concoction of Progressive elements mixed in with Death/Black Metal, today we have Bay Area’s newcomers Dawn of Ouroboros and their full-length release “The Art of Morphology”. With over 40 minutes of crafty music, this release showcases plenty of musical talent and creativity paired with a high-octane delivery and intensity. If you are a fan of creative music that blends genres together and delivers high-replay value, this is the album for you.

Opening with the dreamy intro to “Revivified Spirits”, the band quickly shifts into 5th gear with brutal onslaughts of harsh vocals, violent drumming and intense riffing, showing off their versatility from the start. With a certain jazzy and proggy vibe, “Pinnacle Induced Vertigo” is one of those playful tracks that nicely transitions into the mood setting instrumental “Gateway to Tenebrosity”. Fronted by Chelsea Murphy, the band’s sound is perfectly suited for her mixed use of demonic harsh screams and angelic clean vocals as the ethereal “Lunar Cathexis” contrasts.

As the release evolves, the ‘second half’ turns into darker and more atmospheric territories with the blistering “Spiral of Hypnotism” leading the way with brilliant guitar leads and crafty tempo changes. Our favorite track is the dramatic and moody “Serpent’s Charm”, a song that delivers sheer brutality mixed in with proggy elements and very dreamy interludes. The furious drumming on “Sorrow’s Eclipse” and its contrasting mood swings make it one of the heaviest songs in the release.

Closing with the very emotive “Valiant Abscond”, the band leaves on a high note thanks to their endless creativity and brilliant musical delivery. While the release is quite excellent and diverse, the only minor thing lacking is a central identity to the band’s sound, it is quite expansive but also quite dispersed. That being said, “The Art of Morphology” is one hell of a release filled with interesting elements and brilliant song-writing skills, so be sure to keep an eye out for Dawn of Ouroboros in the future.

Label: Naturmacht Productions

Release: March 30th, 2020

Genre: Progressive Death/Post-Black Metal

Country: USA