Artist: The Breathing Process
Album: Odyssey: (Un)Dead
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal
Label: Candlelight Records

Since their debut album release, In Waking: Divinity, The Breathing Process have been pushing the envelope with their innovative fusion of symphonic black metal and melodic, brutal death metal. After extensive touring they are back with the release of their eagerly anticipated album Odyssey: (Un) Dead.The Breathing Process have went through a myriad of member changes and although there is always trepidation when new members come into the mix, they lay that to rest. The revamped line up only enhanced their progression, making Odyssey: (Un) Dead a vast improvement over their previous work. Mindless chugging and sub par vocals are replaced with flourishing piano lines and intense technicality.

This record doesn’t only display an incredibly refined sound but also offers a thought provoking conceptional idea that is delivered with unadultured ferociousness. Odyssey: (Un) Dead, is a testament of the hardships the members have endured and the growth that occurred in result. The central idea surrounds one man’s journey on the path to exile and how love guides him to death. Musically, they focused the songwriting around natural landscapes and each of these environments has a dual meaning that represents specific human emotions. Basically, this album is full of deep insight and passion that is relatively unheard of in the realms of heavy music.

Opening promisingly, “Hours,” kicks off with the haunting words, “Spend any amount of time around people, you get your heart broke. Treachery, hypocrisy, promise of love. Look into the mouth of a person and you’ll find lies, wriggling there like maggots, waiting to grow wings. The world has gone mad. A man could kill from sun up, to sunset, and still his work would never be done,” layered over pounding drums. The quote comes from the beloved TV series CSI and fit the theme perfectly. Furthermore, this track is essentially blackened deathcore and the technical guitar lines and eerie synth work already set the bar high for this record. “Grimore,” and “Leveler,” follows with thehyperbolic energy of speed black metal. Relentless drumming with hard-hitting blast beats builds the foundation with technical precision. Contrasting from meticulous speed, “Vultures” opens with a slower tempo and a prominent piano line. This is the first time we’re introduced to Sara Loelein’s clean vocals. While they aren’t extraordinary, they do their job and compliment the lead throat-curdling growls and higher registered shrieks well. Her vocals appear on quite a few tracks but her angelic tone especially stands out on later tune “Wind Ritual.”

Synthesized and orchestrated interlude, “Starless: Eternal” provides a well-timed and welcomed break from the meaty grooves and amplified rage. Easing the listener back into the heaviness, title track, “Odyssey (Un) Dead” opens with a subtle, flourishing piano line. The music begins to pick up tempo as your hit with a breakdown, melodic riffs and hardcore rhythms, much like you’d hear on a metalcore record. The albums centerpiece, “Hordes,” is a heavy yet majestic tune with a pleasant instrumental break.  As album unwinds so does the music, leaving the last third unable to measure up to the previous material. At this point things start to get a little monotonous and watered down. The finale tracks aren’t horrible by any means and offer a couple notable parts. “The Opaque Forest,” have some beefy riffs while closer “Decaying Form,” is filled with angst, fast paced double bass work, and heart stopping chuggs.

The Breathing Process may not be offering anything revolutionary on Odyssey: (Un) Dead, but their musical onslaught mixed with eerie ambiance is enough to keep the listeners attention. Musically and conceptually there is something to take from their definitively improved follow up to their already respected debut album

Score: 9/10

Review written by: Nerissa Judd

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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