Crippled Black Phoenix – Sceaduhelm

Three and a half years after releasing the strongest album of their career, the magnificent double album Banefyre, the English dark rock band (for lack of a better description) are ready with the follow-up. In the meantime, the prolific band have kept busy, among other things releasing The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature + Horrific Honorifics Number Two, a double release consisting of re-recorded songs from their back catalogue as well as covers.

When things move this fast, they can sometimes affect the quality of the music, but after just one spin of the new album, it’s clear that this is not the case with Sceaduhelm. Several spins later, it becomes evident that the opposite is true – the band are riding a wave of creativity that has characterized especially the second part of their recording career.

Unlike its predecessor, whose main theme was looking outward at our society, our impact on nature, and our dependence on it, the new album turns inward. Its lyrics focus more on exploring the results of the dynamics portrayed on a couple of previous records. As such, they come across as even more relatable.While the music is once again written by Justin Greaves, the respective singers – Belinda Kordic, Justin Storms, and Ryan Patterson – are in charge of the lyrics for the songs they perform. While there are most likely overarching guidelines for the lyrical themes, it is a wise decision to leave lyrical duties to those who provide the vocals.

Musically, the band operate on familiar ground that has characterized their last few albums. There is a very dense sense of atmosphere and intensity throughout. Crippled Black Phoenix draw inspiration from the British ’80s gothic rock scene, as well as from the likes of Swans, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, and Mogwai. With their choice of vocalists and an uncompromising approach to songwriting, however, the band have transformed these influences into something distinctly their own.

Speaking of vocalists, the differences between them are one of the band’s strengths and never result in a fragmented experience or disrupt the album’s flow. Belinda Kordic’s voice and delivery have an eerie, retro cinematic quality, and on the Portishead-inspired “Tired to the Bone,” she even channels her inner Beth Gibbons. Justin Storms’ vocals have a hypnotic quality, and his knack for twisting rhythmic delivery adds to the dynamics of his performance. Ryan Patterson’s contributions lean more into alternative rock influences. Heavily inspired by Mark Lanegan, he pulls it off well, even if he is no match for the late grunge legend.

Songwriting on Sceaduhelm is strong, and it is at the very core of the album’s quality. However, the arrangements and performances play a massive role in elevating it to another level. Crippled Black Phoenix have a strong sense of detail while ensuring those details remain part of the greater whole that is each song, and indeed the album itself. A good example of how all these elements come together to achieve something far greater than the sum of its parts is the second single, “Colder and Colder.” The gist of the song is rather simple yet its impact is massive, thanks largely to the arrangements and production.

The band master similar approach throughout the album, and while a few songs may not quite match the quality of the rest, this is yet another very strong release from a band whose creativity matches their productivity. And that’s great news for all of us.

www.riseupandfight.bandcamp.com/