This is the seventh album from German Gothic metal band The Vision Bleak.
Weird Tales consists of a single 41-minute song, which is made up of twelve separate movements. It looks like on Bandcamp this will be divided into actual tracks, but thankfully the review version consists of just one track, as this is definitely a release to experience in its entirety, without interruption.
The Vision Bleak combine elements of Gothic, doom, black, symphonic, and death metal into their music, which is then enriched with orchestral, operatic, and cinematic components. It’s a sumptuous blend that the band know how to do very well at this point in their career. The songwriting throughout is immaculate, with the various layers, details, and nuances all working together to create something greater than the sum of its parts.
I typically enjoy and get a great deal out of this sort of long form songwriting, and Weird Tales succeeds in hitting the spot for me. The music flows from one richly delivered, horror-soaked delight to the next. It offers a great mix of eldritch atmospheric depth, catchy hooks, dramatic performances, theatrical flourishes, compelling riffs, haunting keyboards, emotive vocals, and much more besides. The Vision Bleak have thrown a lot at Weird Tales, and it’s a testament to their skill as composers that it all comes together seamlessly and in an emotive, affecting way.
The journey that is Weird Tales is a thoroughly engaging and captivating one. Clearly a lot of time, energy, and passion has gone into the crafting this exquisite music, and if you’re a fan of this sort of style then this is an essential, absorbing, magical listen.
Wonderbox Metal 