This is the fourth album from Portuguese doom band Sinistro.
I enjoyed 2018’s Sangue Cássia, and when I saw Vértice appear I assumed I’d missed out on a couple of albums between the two. Apparently not, as this is Sinistro’s first new recorded output since then. They are back now though, and have a new bassist and singer in tow as well.
Vértice is a refining of Sinistro’s style that embraces the doom metal at the heart of the band, while also delivering this with contemporary grace. It’s music that’s luscious and cinematic, but with an intimacy born from a passion project rather than a blockbuster, and a good selection of chunky riffs.
Sinistro’s sound is built from a darkly doom base that is enriched with vibrant melodic colours. The leads are resplendent and despondent, and the powerful vocals captivatingly performed. The songs are further enhanced by a post-metal aspect that adds another dimension to the band’s compelling doom. As a basic starting point, imagine The Gathering’s doom metal classic Mandylion, add in aspects of equally vintage Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride, update it all for 2024, and then give it an injection of post-metal. This isn’t really that fair to Sinistro though, as despite these rough comparisons, the end result is a record that actually offers more than just this, and has a personality of its own, blending old and new influences into something wonderfully immersive.
Vértice‘s music is potent and striking. Deeply atmospheric, richly emotive, and ripe with evocative prowess, Vértice is an album that paints pictures with sound. These vistas are textured and detailed, absorbing the listener in a comprehensive exemplar of worldbuilding. Each of the songs has been lovingly crafted with evocative skill and expressive nuance. Collectively, they’re a journey to savour, blurring the lines between heavy music and transportive experience.
Vértice is a tapestry of emotive depth that’s worth exploring at length. If you’re a fan of affecting doom metal, you won’t want to miss out on this.
Wonderbox Metal 