I love discovering new music, especially bands that are not as big or well known, and extra special when they are practically in my backyard! I don’t exactly remember how I discovered Bellingham’s Inpathos, but I found them right after they released their latest full length, “Apparitions,” last month. At a high level, this is melodic death metal, complete with memorable melodies, inclusion of keyboards and light orchestration, and even some use of clean vocals to go along with the death and sometimes blackened growls. But this is not your average melodeath album, and I have certainly not heard anything quite like it. It has a nice progressive feel permeating throughout, not to the level of a band like Tómarúm, but definitely with lots of layers and depth in the composition (just listen to the opening of “Godspire,” or just the entire song for that matter…it is a masterpiece). The album does a masterful job of balancing super heavy with slower, more melodic sections, though it clearly biases toward heavy. It features a blackened death metal assault much of the time, with in your face growls, speed riffing and chugs, blastbeats galore, and an immense wall of sound. I love the use of dynamics and builds, particularly in the intros, before they rip your head off, and then each song maps its own course of melodic brutality. The guitar work on this album is exceptional, featuring familiar death and black metal riffing while also weaving in melodic post rock and proggy elements, and the guitar solos, though never over the top, work so well in each song. The drumming is insane, seeming to never let up at times, and I can’t wait to see it in a live setting. I also love the Middle Eastern influences that come out in some of their songs, and the overarching cinematic feel really makes the entire album feel big. This is an album that I enjoy more the more I listen to it, as it seems there is always something new to discover.

The album kicks off with instrumental track “Ruins,” which segueways perfectly into the title track. One thing of note is that the album in many respects functions as one large opus, with each song seamlessly running into the next, bringing a feeling of connection and fluidity across the entire album. The title track starts out in your face out of the gate, with a death metal gallop infused with melody. I love the late harmonized guitar solo over speed riffing and drumming, and the melody during the chorus is super infectious. “Sacred Unseen” has a big opening that is bombastic and almost anthemic feeling, before kicking into thrashy death mode. The melody here feels like a kissing cousin to the title track, something I have observed on several of the songs. I don’t know if it is intentional, but I have noticed what feels like odes to melodies in previous songs throughout the album, another way the album feels connected and part of a larger tapestry. I already bias toward album play throughs rather than individual song listens, but aspects like this make it almost feel wrong not to listen as a complete album.

The anthemic black metal ending leads into the Middle Eastern tinged intro to “Grand Design.” This song has so much going on, with plenty of heaviness and speed, the first use of clean vocals (but a bit unique), and fabulous use of dynamics. A little over halfway features a slick guitar solo that continues the Middle Eastern feel and explores different melodies before reprising the chorus to end. “Exiled” has a cinematic orchestral opening and is one of the slower songs on the album, but don’t mistake slow for not heavy. It is a constant headbanger with lots of great guitar work and orchestration. “Godspire” is easily one of my favorite songs. It has so much going on, with both extreme and melodic clean vocals, laid back melodic sections, blastbeat-ridden speed fests, great guitar solos and lead work, nice bass features, and just incredible song composition. The melodies are both memorable and infectious, and the tempo and dynamics changes work so well.

“Starless Void” almost feels like it could be part 2 to “Godspire,” with its killer melodies, black metal riffing, and just huge epic feel. The first time I listened to the album, I actually thought this was the last song, as it has the feel of an epic closer, only to flow into “Adrift” and immediately rip your head off. The prog-infused thrashy riff featured multiple times throughout is one of my favorites on the entire album, as it feels like an intelligent approach to breaking up the tempo when necessary and shifting the direction of the song for the next wave. The Middle Eastern influences are very prevalent and work very well.

“Last Embrace” sprints out of the gate with a deeply infused Middle Eastern melody, an influence that is very heavy on this song. I particularly love the middle section that completely backs off the metal temporarily, slowly building it back in over the other melodies and marching forward in tandem as the song increases in heaviness. This song feels a bit like a cousin to earlier track “Grand Design,” though I don’t know if that is intentional or not. “Glass Veins” is probably one of the most straightforward songs on the album, with a hefty yet melodic blackened death feel, almost feeling like a transitional track between “Last Embrace” and “Unraveling Creation,” which also serves as the longest song on the album. It has a very cool extreme prog metal feel throughout, fast and furious, with fabulous slower melodic sections and more Middle Eastern influence. It has a drawn out ending that almost makes you feel like this could be it, but then you would miss closing track “Radiance,” which continues to show off the creativity of the band and ends the album nicely, including some really nice dynamics and melodies and a cinematic feel.

If you like your melodeath technical and creative, “Apparitions” is an amazing release to check out and comes highly recommended. I am excited to see how these songs translate live as I get to see them open up for Be’lakor tomorrow in Seattle!

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