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Appearance Of Nothing: In Times Of Darkness
Appearance Of Nothing - In Times Of Darkness Music Review

Appearance Of Nothing: In Times Of ...

Progressive Metal
3.5/5.0

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Escape Music
Released: 22.03.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.03.2019

Every four years, Switzerland's Appearance Of Nothing seems to reappear on our heavy metal radar. But these last four years have been rather tumultuous for the band. Excepting the founding members Marc Petralito (piano, synths) and Omar Cuna (bass, vocals), Appearance Of Nothing is nearly a brand new band with the addition of guitarists Manuel Meinen and Albert Ibrahimaj with drummer Ronnie Wolf. They've also been picked up by England's Escape Music for the release of their fourth studio album, In Times Of Darkness.

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Appearance Of Nothing

If you're new to Appearance Of Nothing (AoN), the band plays melodic progressive metal, large on synths, guitars, moderately complex arrangements, and a smattering of death growls/vocals. To expand this description a tad, Petralito's keyboards can offer light to prominent piano lines or lavish layers of symphonic embellishment. Bass player Omar Cuna is now the lead vocalist, and has a fine melodic metal tone to his voice. Alternatively, former Scar Symmetry vocalist Christian Älvestam provides the death growls which appear in most every song, for some purpose I suppose. But, while I enjoy the diversity and intrigue of AoN's musical compositions, the dirty vocals is where we part company.

Nevertheless, some songs should be mentioned. At least two songs, Storm and Lost, feature duets with album producer and vocalist Anna Murphy (Cellar Darling, ex-Eluveitie). Disaster features vocalist Devon Graves (The Shadow Theory), and offers more melodic metal groove and smoother vocal harmony. Yet, for my money the best song (despite the death growls) on the album is The Black Sea. Largely, a melodic metal song it offers a fine combination of acoustic guitar with cello (from Tina Guo) to accent the vocal lines and guitar parts. All in all, with my exception to the death growls noted, In Times Of Darkness is another consistent album of melodic progressive metal from Appearance Of Nothing.



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The Bottom Line

All in all, with my exception to the death growls noted, In Times Of Darkness is another consistent album of melodic progressive metal from Appearance Of Nothing.

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