A formidable barrage of high-velocity tracks that sweep over the listener.
While black metal continues to diversify, Viserion reminds the scene that an abrasive and unrelenting sound still has a place. Arriving five years after their debut, Fire & Blood is the culmination of six years spent honing their craft in the dark corners of New York’s music world. Through a more refined approach to collective songwriting, the band has forged a haunting storm of atmospheric ruin, blending a punishing aura with a consistent fantasy narrative.
In addition, Viserion mirrors the aggression of acts from Satyricon to 1349, while maintaining an atmospheric edge that is entirely their own. Composing the current iteration of the band for Fire & Blood are vocalist/guitarist Benedetto ‘Slaughter’ Marvilli, lead guitarist Cris Valentine, bassist Tasso Diakov and drummer Matthew ‘Durden’ Marvilli. This unit has been performing together since 2022, three years after the band first formed. The chemistry between the Marvilli brothers continues to be a highlight, providing the essential framework for the record’s structured chaos. While Viserion’s lore is uniquely rooted in the dark history that inspired Game of Thrones, their driving black metal aesthetic pays clear homage to the legendary sounds of Scandinavia.
Turning now to the album’s third track, “Reign of Fire,” a high-energy black metal song. The track unfolds as a surge of extreme metal sound, featuring tremolo-picked riffs that move with the speed of a spreading wildfire over rapid-fire percussion. Moreover, this track serves as the band’s sonic mission statement, an anthem of their relentless drive. It is performed at a blistering pace, as they pour their ferocity into this song, which also includes lyrics that evoke the dragon’s wrath and the devastation of the Targaryen conquest (from Game of Thrones).
Similarly, “Harrenhal” is a technically visceral musical piece, with a structure rooted in traditional black metal. The track is defined by its steadfast, rhythmic guitar work, interrupted only by a central bass interlude that highlights the band’s exploration of ancient decay and the heavy price of ambition. Additionally, the musical work’s emotional depth is further enhanced by the shrieking vocal delivery of Benedetto “Slaughter” Marvilli, whose performance captures the grim atmosphere of the cursed fortress.
With Fire & Blood, Viserion has unleashed a formidable barrage of high-velocity tracks that sweep over the listener with steadfast hostility. The album could be considered multi-dimensional in the respect that it has everything from dark fantasy themes inspired by the Targaryen dynasty to a steady blend of melodic and aggressive instrumentation. As such, this album is a strong, commendable release for anyone who follows the extreme black metal scene.
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