Album Review: Lantern - Dimensions
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
If you like your black and death metal to come in an aggressive yet controlled and structured package, the powerhouse that is Finland’s Lantern may well be of interest. Their third album, Dimensions is full of punishingly heavy riffs, crushing blast beats and down tuned guitar work. Add into the mix the distinctive vocal roar of singer Necrophilios, whose style is very much in the vein of the Greek singers Sakis Tolis (Rotting Christ) and Spiros Antoniou (Septicflesh) and you have a potent combination.
Formed in 2007, the band’s founders Necrophilios and Cruciatus (guitar/bass) were joined in 2013 by drummer J. Possu and guitarist St. Belial. At 38 minutes in length, this isnt the longest release but there is plenty to get your teeth into. Dominating proceedings is the gargantuan closing track, Monolithic Abyssal Dimensions, a huge meandering, and menacing song that clocks in at over 14 minutes in length. It’s a charred journey through which incorporates melodic lead work with the crushingly heavy segments, the ferocity forcing back all who date to cross their path.
Elsewhere, the two-minutes of ‘Portraits’ demonstrate why Necrophilios should stick to deathly roars, which he does well, whilst the pulverising opening track ‘Strange Nebula’ veers at dark tangents from much of the rest of the work, the harrowing crazed guitar work combining with the onslaught of driving riffing and demonic growls. It’s an intense experience and one that fans of the above bands will surely relish. Mixed and mastered by Dan Lowndes at Resonance Sound Studios, this is a solid album that sits comfortably in the upper echelons of the blackened death sound.
‘Dimensions’ is released on 10th July by Dark Descent Records.
