At a running time of 27 minutes, and with the complete absence of intro, interlude or outro sections, every second is used to display memorable songwriting and technical prowess. The first chord on the opening track, "Cenotaph", immediately echoes with confidence and control, informing the listener that the band knows how massive this project is. Every song has a naturally bleak tonality that invokes a feeling of dread or impending doom. A fury of unadulterated riff-work dominates the record from start to finish, furiously invoking an encapsulating storm that refuses to let up until its half-hour ends and finally allows room to breathe. The way that Blighted seemingly-effortlessly creates this atmosphere that pulls the listener into an otherworldly soundscape is the first element of the band that immediately drew me in. Silhouette of the Sun is a volatile attack on the senses that perfectly blurs the lines between death metal and black metal, providing a near-peerless release that could perhaps only be likened, in some ways, to Dissection.
The production is raw, powerful and absolutely perfectly suited to compliment the music held within. Without sacrificing clarity, the essence of a live band is captured to a mesmerizing effect. Finding the balance between the necessary naturally-atmospheric grit of black metal and the depth and punch of death metal is, without a doubt, a daunting task that even dominators of the scene like Behemoth have habitually failed at perfecting. The unpolished sound benefits this record in every way, ensuring that none of the life is sucked out of Blighted's tight performance. I'm personally a fan of metal records that manage to be loud without hypercompression, a technique that seems to be lost on the majority of modern metal producers. My favorite display of the production is on the closing track, "Spectre of Guilt," in which the precision of the pummeling drum track ignites a visceral response, and it provides a truly unique listening experience.
Dillon Harris and Ethan Frazier take control over the guitars, interweaving melodies and harmonies in a way that's not done nearly often enough in extreme metal. The guitar tones are beautifully dialed with the right amount of crunch for the more traditionally heavy riffs, but reserve the necessary lucidity for the leads. This provides a signature for this band that's very well-performed on "Requiem Bereft," a track that opens with a dual guitar harmony before the rest of the band joins and launches into a striking slab of blackened death metal. Brilliantly alongside Harris and Frazier are the rhythm section made up by Neal Williams on bass and Jonah Turner on drums. Silhouette of the Sun makes use of its low end, with both the bass and drum tracks adding a punch that's strongly felt by the listener. The bass guitar compliments the guitar tracks exceptionally well with its flourishes and fills. Turner brings an old-school death metal style to the kit that calls back to Morbid Angel and Obituary without sacrificing his own identity. Behind the microphone is Garrett Morelock, letting his low bellow to mid-ranged snarl drive these songs forward to make them even more animalistic.
I've been listening to this EP daily, and not just for the sake of this write-up, but because it has a certain quality to it that makes it unforgettable. Aside from all the praise that I've sung for this release stylistically, the songs themselves will stick with you. The release's third track, "Gateway Black," is a particularly memorable one in which the instruments focus on the low-end. The utilization of held-out chords alongside bestial drumming build into a dense monolith that almost overwhelms the senses in the best possible way. The energy, writing techniques and presentation scream pure Scandinavia; but we're lucky enough to have this band coming through in the South. If you have the chance to catch them live, take it.
Blighted toy with the idea of balancing melodious harmonies with primal viscera in a way that will hold your interest until the final note rings on Silhouette of the Sun. This EP shows the kind of promise that's rarely felt from a debut release from a new band, but it's evident after listening to a single track that Blighted are immaculately well-rehearsed, and they understand their sound that's fully realized for this release. The most important takeaway from Blighted's debut is that the band never falls into mediocrity for a single section, riff or beat; and the potential for the band to evolve into something even greater is infinite. I look forward to what they'll deliver next, but for now I'll be wearing out Silhouette of the Sun.
Available on CD and Digital formats here.
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