Sil Veth – The Elemental
8th Sphere Records – 2007
By Jason Jordan
Philly’s
Sil Veth, a black/death group, display promise on their debut EP
The Elemental, which contains five tracks that clock in at about 24.5 minutes total. While some would claim (and have claimed) that this is a jumble – it ain’t the most fluid, seamless record I’ve heard –
The Elemental is impressive for what it is. And in truth, they aren’t the easiest band to classify, but are enjoyable nonetheless.
‘Stone Gazer’ darts from the gate tentatively, but eventually slips into more determined instrumentation that is peppered with roomy growls, melodic riffs, and confident drumming. The blasting at 1:29 and 3:52 is topnotch, though it’s juxtaposed with mid-paced, clean parts that prove effective, too. The growls are stronger than their undistorted counterparts, however, so
Sil Veth may want to stick to the former, or at least work on the latter, in addition to the rough transitions.
‘Spheres’ is fairly similar to its companion, except for the adroit leads from 5:10 to 5:44, which elevate the song above its peers as a result of its memorable nature. Follower
‘Storm’ is also a worthwhile composition – the duel vocal delivery, consisting of raspy and guttural growls, is notable because it’s so underutilized. Not to be left out are fellow solid entries
‘Water’ and
‘Upon the Sand.’
Even if
Sil Veth can’t be pigeonholed in the traditional sense – at least not comfortably – the fact of the matter is that these tracks speak of their creators’ talent, and hint at possible stylistic changes in the future. For now,
The Elemental is good stuff, and since there are less than 100 copies left, you may want to secure yours soon. So how’s that full-length coming along?
Offcial Sil Veth Website
Official 8th Sphere Records Website
