A Statement Darkness is the debut album from Finnish metal/prog outfit Death Is Liberty and it’s a good starting point for the band.
Instrumentally, the album is on point. Powerful instrumental lines give A Statement Darkness a good amount of momentum and the pace is fantastic from start to finish. Tracks flow well from one to the next, with some wonderful little technical moments helping to give songs an extra sparkle. For example, sixth track The Defendant features a lush smooth section with a more intricate guitar line atop, and it makes for some excellent listening.
However, at times the vocals do leave a bit to be desired. There’s not a lot of support and power behind them for the most part, with some sections even sounding a little off-tune, and it ultimately means that the album isn’t as enjoyable as it could be as it gets a little grating after a while. However, something that must be mentioned is that the harsh vocals, although used sparingly, are tremendous, as is the confidently spoken Finnish section during the final track Underdog.
As a whole, it’s a decent release and not half bad for a debut offering. The foundations have been laid for the band to grow and evolve, and it will be interesting to see where they go next.
6/10
