This is the third album from Canadian black metal act Liminal Shroud.
Following on from 2022’s All Virtues Ablaze, comes the 44-minute Visions of Collapse. On their new record Liminal Shroud continue to forge ahead with their brand of black metal, refining it further, with some very tasty results.
Containing a mix of atmospheric, melodic, and progressive elements, Visions of Collapse combines its influences into an enjoyable collection of tracks. Built from a traditional black metal base, the music is given a contemporary makeover that balances aggression and atmosphere. Liminal Shroud have a more powerful sound than on their previous record, and the songs benefit from a developed and refined songwriting sensibility. They land harder for me due to the overall delivery and emotive impact that they have. The album builds on its predecessor’s strengths, but manages to improve on them, making it the superior record out of the two.
Emotive melodies and a structural framework that provides the space to explore their self-created worldscapes make for a compelling listening experience. Progressive influences can be heard in places, enriching the music’s depth and breadth, while an underpinning melancholic grandeur ensures that Visions of Collapse is always threaded with emotional weight. Rich with feelings of hopelessness and despair, yet shaped into music that is also able to channel this into mood-rich aggression and a bleakly alluring beauty, Visions of Collapse is evocative in its portrayal of darkness.
For me, this is Liminal Shroud at their peak. Visions of Collapse is a very enjoyable and satisfying record. By the end of it you feel like you’ve undertaken a journey and have learned and experienced things both worthwhile and rewarding.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 