Who are they Vltimas I think even the stones know it, but we might as well refresh the memory of the most inattentive: a supergroup made up of Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy), Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (Aura Noir but most of all Mayhem period 1997-2008 – the most experimental/evolved therefore) e David Vincent. In this new chapter the three are joined by a certain Ype TWS, former Dutch bassist of Dodecahedron (who, if memory serves, play dissonant blackened death), who is also credited with an active role in the compositional phase. A congregation of beautiful little characters with characters that to define as fumantic seems like an understatement, no doubt about it.
Epic it is the second work of the project and arrives five years after the highly acclaimed Something Wicked Marches In, contains 8 songs plus intros and entertains us for a few seconds over 37 minutes. It’s a very good record catchyvery catchy and, if I have to be honest, the first two or three times I listened to it really excited me, so much so that I thought about choosing it statim et immediate as album of the year. But then a woodworm has begun to burrow in my dried-up brain and I found myself almost forced to go and listen to the debut again, because I seemed to remember that it was a significantly different album, more violent and more technical. And so it is: where previously Mounier’s blast beats and technical tightrope walking took the compositions towards lands inaccessible to most, well supported by the significantly more intricate bass and guitar scores, in this new episode the only Invictus it more or less follows the style of the old songs, and is in fact the only case in which Mounier does not limit himself to a task that hundreds of other drummers could have played in the same way. It’s as if he had been depersonalized, minimized, he himself who loves to be the center of attention (if he can afford it, of course).
Eriksen has soft angelized his “evolved” compositional style that he achieved so much fortune and appreciation with Mayhem, directing his attention above all to Domination and also including a lot of catchy melody which makes the pieces easy and immediate to listen to, but if you delve into a more in-depth analysis you realize that they all follow the same pattern: mid tempo riff; dissonant-like arpeggiated embellishment; rhythmic bridge with possible thrash variations; livelier ending. Everything is always subordinated to the proposition of easy-to-understand melodies. The one who convinces most of all is David Vincent, who barks, gnashes, screamsvaries approach frequently performing in a personal death metal chant that tinges the compositions with the right evilness and turns out to be the real added value of these new pieces published by our favorite supergroup.
Now, it seems logical to me that a project of this type is kept alive mainly to sell lots of records thanks to the charisma and reputation of its members, there’s nothing wrong with that. Just as it is logical that it is sponsored by a “major” (the Season of Mist), which is counting on the sales of Vltimas’ new work to update the annual turnover figures upwards (the album comes out in all possible and imaginable formats, accompanied by impressive merchandise, with vinyls in various color combinations), so a A softer, more commercial twist on the compositions is more than welcome from their point of view, since it will potentially be of interest to many who cannot digest excessively extreme proposals. But, since my point of view, this second album is difficult not to consider as a step back from Something Wicked Marches In. It’s easier to listen to, but lacks much of the damn and the bite of its very feisty predecessor and this (again from my point of view) is not meritorious.
Another thing I noticed is that the record when listened to digitally sounds rather flat. Of course the recording and production are impeccable, but the vinyl playback has a certain extra bite, almost as if the mastering was done differently. I tried to find out, but I didn’t find anything significant to corroborate my impression, which I imagine would instead have been publicized with great emphasis and prominence. But seriously, on vinyl it works better, the sound is fuller and more colorful and the songs benefit from it… At least that’s my feeling.
Sum up, Epic it is a good album capable of attracting many listeners, by virtue of good, simple and effective compositions, not particularly extreme and adorned with interesting harmonies. But, as I think you have guessed, I changed my mind about considering it as the best album of 2024. There’s still time for that. (Griffar)
