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Whyzdom - Blind? Review

by Matt Hensch

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Symphonic elements and orchestration have become somewhat commonplace within the metal community with groups like Kamelot, Dimmu Borgir, Therion or Rhapsody of Fire taking advantage of classical influences. Whyzdom, born and raised in France, fits into this perplexing equation through a variety of individualistic mediums which are frequently represented in similar projects, but amplified here in intriguing ways. First, they use the female vocals of Elvyne Lorient to lead the band, and her tenor strikes a different chord than what the average listener would expect. Second, "Blind?" features songwriting that's often layered in dark atmospheres and mid-paced structures which let the calculated symphonic strings weave through Whyzdom's support system, allowing the squad to deliver track after track of consistent material. It is both simultaneously expected and atypical.

Whyzdom comes off as something more precise and slithering than the typically bombastic firecracker found throughout most of this identity. The symphonic elements usually stay in the background of the mid-paced rhythms that the faction frequently applies, and they surprisingly make their efforts look creative and lush despite guitar work that isn't wildly visualizing. All of the songs are pretty much geared in the same equation with few exceptions, but it's still enjoyable stuff. Looking at "Dancing With Lucifer," for instance, shows a large amount of passion and vigor through its sunless bridges and bleak, intense chorus. It's the ideal slice of the release, because it shows Whyzdom really grinding the symphonic color into the group's gritty, driving instrumentation quite wonderfully. "The Spider" and "The Wolves" (animals were a big thing in France) are two cuts that continue the same successful blueprint, yet with dire results. Both tunes seem to drag on and feature rising moments that ultimately nosedive due to lackluster or awkward choruses and an inferior feeling to the instrumentation. They specifically deviate very little, yet the content clearly declines.

The real structure of consistency happens to come from the overall performances instead of the actual tunes; setting aside "Dancing With Lucifer" and another monolith or so, of course. Most of the album just glides along in a smooth journey of symphonic-based metal that boasts substance and practices what it preaches. Acting in her first appearance as Whyzdom's vocalist, Elvyne Lorient largely delivers a seductive, demanding tone that magically matches the record's dark atmosphere through its many narratives, and the sophisticated texture coming from her voice is certainly enough to justify the other musical components. They also throw in a monkey wrench or two to freshen things up (a bass solo, weird orchestration, etc.) in common intervals as well, so "Blind?" keeps itself sufficient and interesting throughout most of its duration.

Seventy-five minutes of bombastic symphonic metal, regardless of how unbelievably epic and well-crafted it is, can be a little much for even the seasoned listener. The ungodly running time, though, is really the only guff I have with the album; it shows a charitable amount of color and imagination while balancing several contemporary musical factors. Whyzdom, beyond proving they're respectable musicians and talented songwriters, demonstrates an untold amount of care and precision in creating such a monumental opus. Above all else, Whyzdom is a nice alternative to everyday music, and if you starve for something that’s certainly not afraid to be very ambitious and daring, then "Blind?" will definitely give your ears a shockingly good kick.

Whyzdom - Blind?

Rating:8.0

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