“Liminal Rite” is the much anticipated & latest offering from Kardashev which comes not long after their 2020 release “The Baring of Shadows”
The album is bookended with two spoken word pieces, ‘The Approaching of Atonement’ and ‘Beyond the Passage of Embers’ with Passage of Embers having an almost alto trumpet tone in the first third of the piece. The band has self-titled their unique style as “Deathgaze” and this spoken word adds to injections of the more traditional death metal heaviness taking their music into these new & undefined genres.
‘Silvered Shadows’ shows Mark Garrett’s vocal range which I think is the best in the business. As in “Liminal Rite” Kardashev has layered these vocals in their previous releases to sound in part like a Georgian choir which is often the precursor to heavy sections of each song. It’s done with high-quality products and makes these pieces audibly interesting. When I first heard ‘Silvered Shadows’ I literally said “oh shit!” out loud when the transition came through, it’s that good.
‘Apparitions in Candlelight’ has a neat reference to the pilgrim ‘Behind Leaves & Vines’ from their 2017 album “The Almanac” and envisages the return to an old & abandoned home. Sean Lang’s drum work in this song is intense. ‘Compost Grave Song’ is considered the single from the album and you can see the emotion Mark brings to vocals through the song’s video clip. It recounts the loss of a brother and the regrets of leaving him behind. Kardashev also adds lyrics to their YouTube videos which is a cool feature.
‘A Vagabonds Lament’ starts slow and showcases both Nico Mirolla and Alex Rieths’s skills at the lower ends of the scale, these guys are both accomplished guitarists & deserve the growing fanbase Kardashev is accruing. Nico & Sean make their music look effortless and prove that Kardashev is a quartet to look out for, their music and lyrical themes growing more & more refined with each offering.
Kardashev: Facebook
Release Year: 2022
Label: Metal Blade Records
Category: Album
Country: USA
Reviewed by Adam Poole
