If you’re a fan of dark, gloomy, and insanely-proggy metal, then you need look no farther than the surreal, yet continually intriguing Visionoir. The one-man progressive avant-garde metal outfit released his first full-length album in 2017, something eagerly awaited by fans, as his last release was a demo in the far back past of 1998! The Waving Flame of Oblivion is a titanic album, one which, when listened to in full, you can understand why it could have taken so long to make. It acts not as a piece of music to listen to, but as a journey through which the listener must progress, facing countering styles of play and musical U-Turns throughout.
Attempting to produce an album which defies genre expectations and deliberately attempts to stand apart from the musical norm is a tricky task, one which often sees the artist create an album which can be pretentious or even unlistenable. Such is not the case with The Waving Flame of Oblivion, however. It does not bombard the listener with bizarre-sounding melodies in an attempt to be different, instead easing you in with classic, 1970s-style synth riffs, entirely melodic. This allows you to get your bearings before, little by little, you descend further in to avant-garde territory. Before you know it, you are surrounded by Italian monologues, space sounds, and a plethora of fantastical melodies.
Visionoir’s triumphant return to the world of music is marked with the release of an utterly astounding and truly unique album, one which must be heard to be fully understood. The Waving Flame of Oblivion collects together a smattering of different musical styles and motifs, and arranges them in such a way that allows the album to stand on it’s own, its sound completely unlike anything else. Definitely one for the prog fans out there, but is not simply restricted to that niche, as anyone with an interest in music and the diversity it can offer will surely love The Waving Flame of Oblivion.
The Waving Flame of Oblivion is out now and available to download here.
