BY STEVE THIRIOT
In an age of dime-a-dozen metal bands, each vying for their unique fingerprint in a saturated landscape, Besra's "Transitions" arrives like a meteorite, shattering all preconceived notions of what post-metal could and should be. Few albums dare to challenge the boundaries of the genre as vigorously as this, and even fewer manage to do so with such searing emotional resonance.
“Sentinels” opens the album with a foreboding atmosphere, setting the tone for what's to come. The track is a slow-burning melodic exploration, ascending into full-fledged chaos from time to time; A perfect opening gambit.
“Sanguin”, lives up to its name. It bleeds a sense of melancholy that's strangely uplifting. The eight-and-a-half-minute runtime allows the song to breathe and fully showcase the band's musical prowess.
"Prison Without Locks" & “Landscapes” are both masterfully written and shifts between dissonance and harmony in a way that can only be described as jarring—in the best way possible. “Valor” Flawlessly blends melodic guitars with abrasive vocals. It is a song that will likely become a fan-favorite due to its sheer energy and intensity.
Closing out the record is “Cries and Lamentations”, a 10-minute-long opus that can make a claim to be a modern epic. It's a dense, brooding track that encapsulates the entire album's emotional spectrum, ending with a haunting calm that leaves the listener in a state of introspective catharsis.
"Transitions" is a psychological expedition; it is an album that needs to be experienced to be understood fully. Besra has managed to weave influences, experiment with genres, and deliver a product that demands your full attention. It is a sonic experience you don't want to miss. I find this album very soothing and unsettling; I connect with it in a way that is familiar, as if I have been listening to this album for years. Don't just listen to this album; immerse yourself in it. Because to simply hear it would be a disservice to the art that it is.
Album Drops September 29th on Suicide Records