“Abandon all hope, ye who enter here”, the famous quote warns us, and the intro of the second album from UK’s Tableau Mort shows that not even a nursery song is able to escape the incoming corruption. Hailing from London, the five-piece have burst into the black metal scene in 2019, with their scathing debut “Veil of Stigma, Book I: Mark of Delusion”. At that time, their eastern-european roots and anti-orthodox image had established them at the forefront of a flavor of metal including monastic chanting and angular rifts, meant to upend the notion that religious rebellion and black metal are all but perrimated. And their efforts have not gone unnoticed by the scene at large, first by headlining local venues in the pre-pandemic world, and by also being invited to Metal Injection’s “Slay at Home” series in 2021.
So here we are at the dreaded sophomore release, and as those who follow the scene surely know, this is a very important release for any band. Will they capitalize on an already successful formula, underdeliver proving their debut to be a one-off, or push the envelope forward into new territory? In my humble opinion, a successful follow-up must retain elements of what made the band stand-out in the first place, while also bringing enough novelty to feel like you’ve discovered something out of the ordinary. Where does TM stand by this metric, you ask? Well, the short answer is that “Visio in Somniis” is a resounding success; as the members are scene veterans they have understood their strengths and executed them to their fullest, while also taking the left hand path in conjuring an album that is both unexpected and familiar in a strange way. What they have proven with this new release is that they are a band in full command of their sound and know how to make every moment of an album count.
Generally, I like to dissect an album this compelling from the first note to the fade-out that just begs a repeat listen. But, since the band has been so gracious as to offer me the opportunity to review it ahead of the release, I honestly don’t want to spoil the many twists and turns that a first listen offers plenty of. Therefore I will focus on the advance singles, the first of which is “Candle in the Darkness”. Here you have a clear successor to what made TM great in the first place, but it’s not merely a rehash of their debut’s atmosphere, but an example of how the band sounds now, firing on all cylinders. James Johnson thankfully makes a return on vocals, and sounds every bit like a maniacal dictator postulating from the pulpit directly into the void that is the human condition. George Topor and Cristian Giurgiu provide an excellent writhing melody, permeated by the ever-surprising drum lines of George Bratosin, and all of it burns on the furnace of Marek Basista’s crushing bass. It is very hard to find a stand-out performance from any of the five, since they clearly know how to operate as a single unit, bringing the absolute best of their sound to the table. Simply put, they are excellent musicians that know when to leave room for the full force of the band to stand out.
Their second single, Idolatry shows what the album has in store for the new direction of the band. Gone are the melodic leads and classic black-metal approach, leaving room for what can be best described as Ulcerate, were they subjected to any of the questionable influences of the Christian Orthodox church. James chants it clearly: “Why did I let this happen? I let this happen to myself and now I burn; You, you let this happen, You’ve damned us all to hell, and now we burn”. This song perfectly highlights how all the members have progressed, and are capable of making even the most dissonant riff memorable within the broader context of the song. We also get horns and symphonic synths to transition between the different movements of the piece. And in this one, Cristian’s solo at the end truly shines, as he does throughout the rest of the album.
Speaking for the album as a whole, the band runs the full spectrum between these two opposing poles. Just when you think you can expect the next move, they take a sharp turn into the unexpected. And some may say that sometimes it’s too much like they are trying too hard to surprise, but from my extended time with this album, I cannot find a single note out of place. Everything builds upon itself to deliver the optimum impact of every idea. At the same time, it teeters on the brink of disintegration, just barely containing itself, but never really falling apart. This is mainly due to the interplay between the drums and the guitars, which try to push each other over the edge, but never quite overpower one another. It is not something that you can just throw in the background and go about your day. It demands attention! I have tried many times to just let it flow by me, but tens of listens later, it still grabs me every time. And if that does not make you pay attention, I don’t know what will.
In closing, if Tableau Mort continues this trajectory, they are surely bound to break every mold that even now barely contains them. Combine the masterful songwriting with their demanding live performances, and you have a band that will quickly hold the black-metal community’s full attention.
Not Kinetic Per Se 
Leave a comment