Tome of the Unreplenished — Innerstanding

If there’s one thing blossoming in the black metal scene it’s quality atmospheric black metal. Ranging from the deepest sacred forests to the farthest flung galaxies, bands are capturing the raw spirit of nature in more ways than ever. One of the largest homes to the expanding cosmic black metal scene is I, Voidhanger, with the impressive bands Mare Cognitum, Midnight Odyssey, and Spectral Lore under their wings. With the release of Tome of the Unreplenished’s Innerstanding it seems they have welcomed another strong band to their ranks.

Comparisons to their labelmates are certainly easy to make, but Innerstanding stands proud on its own two legs. The spacious production on the album is some of the finest I’ve heard in this genre. Innerstanding is so wide-ranging and open, with numerous riffs winding their way through the vast expanse at once. Nothing feels constrained or limited, and the graceful synth accompaniment gives the album a rare elegance that is simultaneously delicate and powerful. The complex guitar acrobatics on display here are excellent. There are frequently three or more riffs occurring in tandem, melding together to form structures like the pillars of creation at times and separating like wisps of cosmic dust just seconds later. But for all this complexity, Innerstanding never loses an ounce of emotional weight. The awe-inspiring beauty of the album is present at every turn, switching from one moment of reverence to the next with ease.

The most impressive thing about the album is undoubtedly the songwriting. Riffs are sometimes picked up for just moments, and yet others are repeated throughout the entire album, reoccurring and changing. Nothing feels forced, and even with the expansive sound, the songwriting is perfectly honed. Nothing grows stale, and repeated listening sessions only reveal greater complexities and lead to greater appreciation for the fine work of Tome of the Unreplenished’s Hermes.

I realize I’m starting to sound like a broken record here, but it seems like I, Voidhanger is the place for this type of black metal. Innerstanding is the finest example of such music I’ve heard in years. From the promising intro of “Anima Mundi” to dazzling beauty of “Take Me to the Stars” to the regal and solemn ending “The Precessional March”, Innerstanding is  without flaw. At forty minutes, it doesn’t have the length of similar albums in the style, but it manages to pack more grace, more beauty, and more awe into those forty minutes than many lesser bands manage in years. This is truly album of the year material.