‘Remnants for Remembrance’ by Vials of Wrath
‘Remnants for Remembrance’ by Vials of Wrath
Do we have another Album of the Year contender? Is it somehow another atmospheric black metal album focused around nature and autumn like Autrest’s Burning Embers, Forgotten Wolves? Yes, it is.
Vials of Wrath's Remnants for Remembrance emerges as a masterful autumn meditation that elevates the Tennessee artist’s already formidable reputation within the American atmospheric black metal scene. Vials of Wrath shares on their Bandcamp that this seven-track opus functions as "an ode to Autumn – both physically and metaphorically.” It weaves together contemplative instrumentals and expansive black metal and explores the themes of autumn we all enjoy, like mortality and the divine presence in nature's cyclical decay.
Dempsey W. Mills’ approach to atmospheric storytelling has greatly matured since 2015's Days Without Names. Where earlier works established Vials of Wrath’s more enigmatic and mystical character within the faith-based black metal scene, Remnants for Remembrance reveals a more emotionally raw and musically adventurous project. "The White Stag" opens with contemplative synths before erupting into more (shockingly) NWOBHM-inspired grooves. The song evokes autumn mountainscapes, while Mills' vocals crack through with a peculiar clarity and vulnerability. The track's guitar solos shimmer like creekbeds beneath dying oaks, establishing the album's microcosm-to-macrocosm scope, from single falling leaves to entire green hillsides fading into winter's grey embrace.
The album's closer, "Forty Nine Novembers," showcases Mills at his most ambitious. This nine-minute epic weaves church bells, power metal stadium-rock solos, and Spanish guitar bridges through unchanging thunderous drums that mirror time's relentless passage. Mills connects personal aging with seasonal cycles, encouraging contemplative prayer while maintaining the atmospheric grandeur that defines Vials of Wrath’s sound. It's a track that rivals the best work of Panopticon or Wolves in the Throne Room in its ability to merge naturalistic atmosphere with genuine emotional weight.
What distinguishes Remnants for Remembrance within the broader U.S. atmospheric black metal landscape is its unapologetic embrace of sacramental vision, as has all of Vials of Warth’s work. "Baptized in Amber Light" employs post-rock plucking and flute-like melodies reminiscent of a heavier Allman Brothers, while Mills' guttural singing (again not quite the screaming we’re used to, but deeply a delivery moreexpressive) conveys how God's presence permeates even autumn's decay. This theological depth sets Vials of Wrath apart from purely nature-focused contemporaries, occupying a unique position alongside spiritually-inclined artists like Hesychast or Within Thy Wounds
The album has an impressive dynamic range throughout. "Branches of the Black Oak" delivers frantic second-wave black metal fury while contemplating destruction's cyclical nature, while instrumental interludes like "Abrams Creek" and "Magicicada" provide contemplative respites featuring mandolin, cicada sounds, and southern gothic guitar work. These quieter moments are essential components of the album's emotional architecture, as they create space for reflection between the more intense passages.
Remnants for Remembrance is essential listening for those who find transcendence in tremolo picking and seek black metal that builds up rather than tears down the human spirit. Fans of Wolves in the Throne Room's nature mysticism, Alcest's emotional transparency, or Deafheaven's post-rock influences will find much to appreciate here, as will devotees of the growing American atmospheric black metal scene who desire substance alongside atmosphere.
Mills has crafted his most accomplished work to date. Remnants for Remembrance functions as both seasonal requiem and spiritual renewal, proving that black metal's atmospheric potential extends far beyond nihilism into realms of genuine hope and transformation. Like autumn itself, Remnants for Remembrance reminds us that decay and death are not endpoints but necessary passages toward resurrection and new growth.
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