I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; the fringes of what metal is capable of are oftentimes littered with performances that we didn’t know we needed. It’s where things become murky and unpredictable where, understandably, anything is possible, and I truly do believe that some of the finest works of metal are to be found in these reaches where there is no limit, no genre restriction, and the only thing holding people back is their raw imagination. Naturally, that doesn’t always equate to success for any number of different reasons, yet it is a high-risk-high-reward kind of environment. When a band does get it right, it’s almost always a sight to behold. Having done its own thing in several projects for many years now, it’s with its newest work that Sallow Moth shows us what can still be done.

It can be exceedingly difficult to talk about a work that fully embraces its experimental, free-spirited nature as it’s something that’s tricky to pin down by design more times than not. Where do you even begin with an amorphous creation that never sits in the same spot for so much as thirty seconds with the metal aspects coming and going seemingly on a whim? What Sallow Moth has pulled off here is an undisputable embodiment of what the fringes of metal can be when you have an artist that really goes for it right out of the gate. “Mossbane Lantern” is undoubtedly a creation of death metal, but it’s been twisted, morphed, and extrapolated in such a way that is nigh on fascinating to bear witness to as we’re given a hauntingly beautiful kaleidoscope of brutality and introspection the likes of which one can only find in this fog-wreathed corner of the underground. More than adept in its smallest moments of peace that belie the sinister nature of the record at large, “Mossbane Lantern” is nothing if not ever-shifting, sometimes downright schizophrenic. Further given life thanks to an overwhelming plethora of other talented musicians alongside demented and compelling storytelling, this is a creation that demands your whole being in order to understand and become one with. This album asks a lot of you, but it is exceedingly rewarding towards those that see it through to the end.

It’s a challenging listen. It’s a work that offers very little reprieve as it constantly moves from one style to the next with immensely fluidity and aptitude on such a level that feels compelling and engaging from top to bottom, yet there’s so much splendor to be had for those who seek “Mossbane Lantern” is all that is has to offer. Sallow Moth has made a real name for itself as something that’s not to be trifled with given its immense power and talent, and it’s only here that we see such magnificence taken to the extreme.

“Mossbane Lantern” releases on August 1st via I, Voidhanger Records!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Mossbane Lantern” on Bandcamp here.

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