Album Review: Fragmentum - Masters Of Perplexity
Reviewed by Paul Hutchings
Described as a melodic death metal band, Belgian’s Fragmentum’s second full length release appears to be much more complex. There are definite traits of bands like Dark Tranquility and Insomnium within their music. And yet its synths that combine with a driving riff on the opening track, ‘Origination of Mankind’, with the band blending death growls with darker, mournful cleans in a Depeche Mode meets In Flames hybrid. This continues into the album, and as it develops, so the music expands.
Founded in 2015, the band toured with Children of Bodom in the US as well as sharing the stage with Soulfy and Annihilator. Quite how some of this melodeth and industrial fused metal will have been received by rabid thrash fans is anyone’s guess.
The melodic death feel is never far away, and there is a pattern to the band’s songs. ‘Victim of the Gods’ echoes the preceding track, and there are many occasions when listening to ‘Masters of Perplexity’ when you need to check the track listing as it does sound remarkably similar at times. But there is plenty to enjoy over the 62 minutes and the musicianship is impressive, with intricate guitar work threaded through the complex song constructions.
There’s a Celtic feel to some of their work; ‘Clash of the Clans’ contains addictive melody lines, fired by a thumping bass kick and some driving riffs. The contrast of growls and cleans works well, neither overused and on occasion, there is emphasis on one style which is pleasing, avoiding the often used back and fore approach. At times, the band stray into almost folk metal, and this is one of the main attractions with this album. There are numerous styles that are littered across it and whilst it retains the classic melodic death metal feel, the variation works well and helps retain the interest.
The dark feel of songs like ‘Feast of the Flesh’, a sinister and brooding piece, contrasts with the more direct ‘Screeching of the Sacrifice’, which has an almost marching beat which you can sing along to. Elsewhere the atmosphere changes with the haunting ‘Dwelling of the Ghosts’, the anthemic ‘Welcome to the Afterlife’ increases the tempo once more with another Celtic twist before the rich melodies of ‘Secrets of the Stones’ close off an album that gets better with every play.
