Pentakill—“II: Grasp Of The Undying”
Riot Games; 08/04/17—
The album before me today—II: Grasp Of The Undying by Pentakill—is a true mind-bender. With progressive metal loosely defined by the more aggressive songs of Ayreon and some of the thrash—and songwriting sensibilities—of For All Kings-era Anthrax, it’s incredibly solid from soup-to-nuts … or from songwriting to performance if you prefer. Not only is this due to the melodic lines traversing so many unique places, but also knowing that this is a band that came from the League Of Legends video game universe. The last statement is somewhat misleading, do some research and you find that ALL of the musicians and producers are musical legends within their own genres. With the opening notes of the acoustic guitar on “Cull” being so ethereal—before the full-metal-technical-onslaught commences—an emotional trajectory is set. Continuing in this vein, the female vocals on “Tear Of The Goddess” is utterly breathtaking, on-point, and dripping with power. They allow an impressive counterpoint to the prior male-dominated vocals on the record. This song is easily one of the best on the release. “The Hex Core mk-2” is an industrial-tinged metal feast. The ender, “Blade Of The Ruined King,” carries such a score that one would think it was done for an epic battle-scene on a film. If you are a fan of a musical excursion that will keep you guessing the entire time, then Pentakill has given you the proper tools.—R.G.B. Robb
Pentakill—“II: Grasp Of The Undying”
Riot Games; 08/04/17—
The album before me today—II: Grasp Of The Undying by Pentakill—is a true mind-bender. With progressive metal loosely defined by the more aggressive songs of Ayreon and some of the thrash—and songwriting sensibilities—of For All Kings-era Anthrax, it’s incredibly solid from soup-to-nuts … or from songwriting to performance if you prefer. Not only is this due to the melodic lines traversing so many unique places, but also knowing that this is a band that came from the League Of Legends video game universe. The last statement is somewhat misleading, do some research and you find that ALL of the musicians and producers are musical legends within their own genres. With the opening notes of the acoustic guitar on “Cull” being so ethereal—before the full-metal-technical-onslaught commences—an emotional trajectory is set. Continuing in this vein, the female vocals on “Tear Of The Goddess” is utterly breathtaking, on-point, and dripping with power. They allow an impressive counterpoint to the prior male-dominated vocals on the record. This song is easily one of the best on the release. “The Hex Core mk-2” is an industrial-tinged metal feast. The ender, “Blade Of The Ruined King,” carries such a score that one would think it was done for an epic battle-scene on a film. If you are a fan of a musical excursion that will keep you guessing the entire time, then Pentakill has given you the proper tools.—R.G.B. Robb
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