Aha I wondered where this was and lo and behold it clattered through the letterbox and from there was launched straight onto the stereo. Traces have been witnessed live at the Infernal Damnation Festival and are the new band fronted by ex-Rotted and one time writer to this site (which curries no critical favours) Wilson. I am not 100% sure where the other players are from and they seem to only use first names in the booklet and on Metal Archives but I suspect Sylosis and Viatrophy may well sport a couple of ex-players within Traces ranks. Musically they could not be further away from all the previous mentioned bands, theirs is a realm of symphonic black metal and it tips it’s hat at inspirations as well as develops ideas of its own over the course of these five tracks.
‘To Engulf All Creed’ thunders in fast and furious, with the spiteful bite of Naglfar about it perhaps. Settling down this draws similarities to Dimmu Borgir which cannot be overlooked until some clean vocals catch you slightly off guard. I have to admit I found these a bit too jolly at first but they obviously do the trick as I woke up with them in my head and have been unable to shift them out all day. This is all expertly played and there is plenty going on here and as I have already witnessed it translates well to the live stage. Again some clean vocals breach the music and match really well in the background reminiscent of Vintersorg led Borknagar before that main chorus again hooks you. Keyboards are especially well utilised with a frosty and magical ice-laden feel about them. Longest number ‘In The Wake Of What Has Perished’ has that fantasy etched symphonic feel to the austere intro before flourishing away on a flurry of drumming, gruff growls, yells and tight guitar slashes and even in the dying moments of the song a touch of progressive guitar noodling. This is easy to enjoy and although possibly far too accessible for true black metal advocates who run miles from keyboard driven stuff it has a good crossover potential about it.
‘Wreathed In Flame’ does start with an intro that Galder of Old Mans Child is no doubt kicking himself for missing but to be honest it’s a better track than most off his last couple of albums and again the solid croons on the song really bolster things and are well placed before a lush almost romantic keyboard cavalcade has the pace galloping off again. This release is a great starting point, it feels like it is half an album and I want to hear the other half. No doubt that is something for the future but with a full length and a good support with the right bands I have a feeling we will be hearing plenty more about Traces. The one criticism of this, albeit a personal one is I’m not struck on the front cover art here or the groups logo, both strike as too blocky. Still it’s the music that counts and there are no complaints there.
http://www.myspace.com/tracesmetal
