Starlit Melancholy - 2023 - To Wilt Beneath the Stars [mini-review]

(57:52; Starlit Melancholy)

US artist Starlit Melancholy is out with the album "To Wilt Beneath the Stars", and progressive metal is probably the best manner in which to categorize the landscapes explored on this production. This is an album that combine three different elements: Extreme metal, orchestral arrangements and ambient music. The extreme metal aspects are toned down, other than the distorted vocals that are placed fairly high in the mix to provide a more disruptive end chaotic element to the compositions. The orchestral arrangements are partially used as overlays for the extreme metal sections and partially featured as standalone elements, and this is the case for the more ambient oriented constructions too. The compositions explore the contrast between the more dark and ominous metal landscapes and the melancholic to jubilant moods of the orchestral and ambient sections in a good manner. The quality of the mix and production does leave a bit to be desired for such an ambitious endeavour though, and the disruptive quality of the vocal element will probably limit the potential reach of this album too I suspect. But for those who find the contrast between a darker and more disruptive variety of extreme metal and a more positive and jubilant variety of orchestral and ambient landscapes to be generally interesting, this may be an album worth looking into.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, September 2023

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/StarlitMelancholy