Vyre – The Initial Frontier Pt. II (2014)

After blowing us away with the first part of “The Initial Frontier” back in 2013, this German band comes back with part 2 with great style. Delivering over 45 minutes of expertly crafted Symphonic/Avant-garde Black Metal, the band further develops their unique sound with more atmospheric elements and great riffing onslaughts.

Opening with the superb “Naughtylus”, the band blasts away with some epic melodic riffs, crushing bursts of aggression and highly melancholic Cello passages. As the futuristic atmospheric keyboards and precise solos close the first track, the band quickly jumps into the intoxicating rhythms of “Diabolum Ex Machina”. This second song feature some quite interesting tempo changes and tribal-esque passages that make this song a magical listening experience.

With an interesting twist, “RDR 66” has a certain Black’n’roll vibe to it with Vreid-like riffs and solid clean-ish vocals. This makes this track quite a unique departure of the first two, but it nicely showcases the band’s versatility and ability to craft unique music while being out of their traditional areas of expertise. Our favorite tracks in this release are the last two; “For Carl” is a dramatic and multi-faceted 10-minute masterpiece of pure atmospheric and melodic brilliance, but it is the crushing “Neutronenstern” that truly elevates the band’s status to beyond epic.

Overall, “The Initial Frontier Pt. II” is one of those rare releases that are epic from start to finish. Filled with mesmerizing melodic passages, the album will keep you entertained from start to finish. If you like bands that push the limits of genres and can craft intricate songs that span multiple styles of music, look no further and get into Vyre sooner rather than later.

Label: Supreme Chaos Records

Release: December 5th, 2014

Genre: Symphonic/Avant-garde Black Metal

Country: Germany