Krallice - Dimensional Bleedthrough

by Casey Boland

Musicianship is not a quality often ascribed to black metal. Purists tend to prefer their BM crude and rudimentary. Krallice defy such notions during the hour and 20 minutes of Dimensional Bleedthrough (Profound Lore, 2009). The band incorporates untraditional guitar patterns and varying tempos. At its best, the music evokes intense longing and despair.

Autochthon (excerpt)

The band’s first outing garnered comparisons to Weakling, which makes sense given the inexorable song lengths and intricate material. Yet Krallice were onto something, fulfilling the promise of their debut with Dimensional Bleedthrough. The band offers better riffs, more interesting song construction, fiercer vocals, and more compelling performances all around.

Guitarists Colin Marston and Mick Barr are accomplished virtuosos, as evidenced by their other projects Orthrelm, Behold?The Arctopus and Dysrhythmia. Though they’re the focal points of the band, their cohorts aren’t exactly lunching. Nick McMaster’s bass precision is essential to Krallice. Drummer Lev Weinstein operates in Frost mode, deftly handling blastbeats and complicated rhythms. The record’s production shifts attention to the rhythm section, giving Dimensional Bleedthrough the heft its predecessor lacked.

Despite their musical merit, Krallice would benefit from an editor. Like Weakling, their Achilles heel is writing songs five minutes longer than need be. (Diehard fans, though, might insist that “Monolith of Possession” needs 18 minutes and 44 seconds to say its piece.) Nevertheless, Krallice impressively continue to challenge what is expected of black metal.