The new record from Krosis, named Solem Vatem, is an interesting take on how to innovate an otherwise formulaic genre. Krosis takes a djent/deathcore sound and blends it with keyboards and electronic music to craft something refreshing. Holistically, Solem Vatem is a collection of brutal moments which shift to and from delicate atmospheres, providing a shining tranquility at times. It's not simply a matter of taking a heavy sound and then playing something that’s more gentle, but rather balancing separate vibes and creating clean transitions between them. This allows Krosis to present something rather memorable and enticing.
“Melting Point” starts in typical deathcore fashion—blast beats slamming alongside vocal growls. Yet, rather than the guitar fly through repetitive chugging patterns; it uses light tone inflections to dazzle within the rhythm. The track leads into a brief moment of serenity by using clean vocals before shifting back into all-out chugging. It creates a djent-heavy flow with more backing guitar work that lays down an airy and luminous foundation.
“Void Fracture” continues the earlier djent flow as drums keep a consistent heft to build tension. The use of guitar solos pops up around the halfway point, expanding the range of sound the material has to offer. The introduction to “Buoyancy” is an ambient bubbling of bright beats, all before kicking into a savage delivery of instrumentation. The buildup makes the transition even greater, truly selling the brutality's weight that comes out.
For the most part, everything is a straight drive forward in aggression, with some fluctuating components towards the end. While there are moments within the record that do play out in cookie-cutter progressions; Krosis is still able to take outside elements—specifically that of the keyboard and electronic music—and sprinkle unique details throughout their material. There are moments of excellent transitions in tone and aura that take place within tracks. The band may go from delicate segments of ambiance to crushing beatdowns.
“Apathos Vacant” is the longest song on the album. It begins with a brief spoken word before entering an instrumental segment. Before the track truly opens up; there comes a sporadic flow of drums and guitar, adding a gripping suspense which eventually brings about melodic savagery. “God Rays” is an effortless instrumental track that takes the band’s aggression and airy atmospheres to a new level. There’s a stellar sense of majesty as the guitar disperses into numerous rhythms. It offers everything from powerful solos to destructive djent.
Solem Vatem is a delightful take on how to innovate a genre while keeping to its core ideas. Bringing in electronic music alongside deathcore and djent makes for an interesting time throughout the album. It helps to keep the band’s song structure fresh and compelling. Krosis is able to keep the majority of their work away from repetition. Instead, they provide listeners with plenty of heavy moments that introduce surprises along the way.
Score: 7.5/10
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki577tzQ6ds[/youtube]
