Pursuing the End - Withering
Withering
CD Info
2012
Prevalve Records
3 Tracks
English Lyrics
It's always a little difficult to review a short EP because you don't have a lot of material to review, but I'll do my best with this one because Pursuing the End's EP Withering really impressed me, and besides, they're Italian! All the good stuff is coming from Italy these days!
Withering is the band's second release, the first being Dawn of Expiation, which came out in March of 2011. Just for kicks, I found it on iTunes and downloaded it. That EP, which consisted of four tracks, had a lot of guests on it, including two Italian sopranos and two Italian male opera singers, one tenor and one bass. After the intro, we are introduced to Pursuing the End's main vocalists, Giacomo Benamati, who does both the clean vocals and the growls, and Maria Caterina Bonfanti, who has a pop-ish style. This EP really sets the stage for the band's sound, which, since it utilizes so many different kinds of vocal styles, is a bit more complex than normal. The songs on Dawn of Expiation are good, catchy, complex, and fast symphonic power metal.
Like Dawn of Expiation, Withering starts out with an intro that consists of a lovely but ominous orchestral arrangement accompanied by some killer opera singing. In this case, however, a choir is used, specifically Corale Verdi from Parma. From here, we go onto the main event, the title track, "Withering" for which the band has a music video.
I love this song! It's probably one of the more catchy songs I've come across recently. Featuring Federica Gatta, one of the Italian sopranos who appeared on Dawn of Expiation, we have a dark-themed tune about a woman trying to escape an abusive husband. Giacomo leads off with a clean vocal and Maria Caterina comes in on the chorus, accompanied by a small bit of background growling. The song, minus the operatic vocal, reminds me kind of something Amaranthe would produce, with the clean male vocal, the female pop vocalist, and the bit of growling. And I kind of think Amaranthe is a fun band, so I really liked what the Pursuing the End did with this song. It's got a great hook, it's got great headbanging potential, and I like the fact that it's telling a story.
The final song, "Glimpse of Forbidden" has a Gothicy choir intro with Frederica adding her soprano in again. The song is fast and bombastic and features Maria Caterina a little more prominently. Again, it's a catchy song with a lot of different elements in it, giving it a lot of richness and texture.
Pursuing the End is definitely a band to watch out for in the future. Their sound, utilizing choirs, opera vocals, clean male vocals, the odd bit of growling, and a female pop-ish singer, is complex and epic, and the songwriting and compositions are strong and complex, too, but also accessible and fun. I Hope to see a full-length album from them soon!
8.5 / 10
