I love, love, fucking love coming back to bands that I’ve reviewed before and seeing what they’re up to. New material with the possibility of being fucking awesome, innovative, or even groundbreaking? Sign me up! Does that come with the chance of the material being naught but dog shit? Absolutely, but luckily today’s chance with Gray Souvenirs didn’t disappoint me as this one man band has gone nowhere but up with his musical prowess.

This Brazilian project had my interest last year with his album that snuck its way through the underground, and I knew there was talent in the material but, as with many other bands, there’s so much more potential that can be unlocked and demonstrated for all the wonder at. “Magnificence” may not be the perfect fit for a record such as this, but it’s pretty damned close as this six track blend of black and atmospheric/post (you pick) metal as well as being completely instrumental, allowing for maximum immersion. And before you get some assumptions about the fact that this is “black metal”, it’s far from the traditional sense of the style as the term blackgaze would be much more appropriate as this style is the culmination of many experimentations, as is all of the black metal web. Gray Souvenirs really takes us on a trip that’s light-hearted, heavy-handed, relaxing, tense, and filled to the brim with soul so much so that it’s hard to imagine something so colorful and dynamic could be put into a record without a voice accompanying the music. The whole of “Magnificence” takes you on a trip that’s best experienced with closed eyes, an open mind, and a frame of mind that meshes with the soul to enable the fresh breeze that Gray Souvenirs has wrought to truly flow through you. That’s when you get something truly different and existential the likes of which you’ve really gotta dig for to find, and once you find it you won’t easily forget it, and Gray Souvenirs is a perfect example of such to the very end with “Magnificence”.

Blackgaze has quite the unique take on a style that’s been known for multiple heinous acts, and I absolutely love the change of pace and Gray Souvenirs does a ridiculous job at demonstrated how intriguing it can really be. This record is the definition of something else, and is an album that defines a style which is something that “Magnificence” should be recognized and applauded for.

LISTEN to “Magnificence” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Gray Souvenirs on Facebook here.