I once saw progressive black metallers, Dawn of Ouroboros shortly after their debut, The Art of Morphology was released at one of my favorite Pittsburgh area venues, Black Forge Coffee House. I had reviewed it, enjoyed it, and went to the show thinking it would be sparsely attended. Unfortunately, I was right, but they still put on a great show. I predicted they were on the cusp of something great, and their debut was just a start. Their follow-up, Velvet Incandescence was great, certainly gained them more followers, but also showed a band “on the cusp.”

A large part of this is their ambition when it comes to blending several genres. Take for instance the laid-back, lounge sounds inspired by the story of Ron Burgundy and a banana peel (J/K), “Slipping Burgundy.” Vocalist Chelsea Murphy’s soulful clean vocals are accompanied by clean guitars with a build lasting up to nearly 3 minutes into the track where everything gets heavy, and Chelsea’s vocals become appropriately harsh. Then you’re treated to double bass and a dreamscape not dissimilar to Fallujah. The bottom drops out with around two minutes left, slipping into the sounds permeating the opening of the track, but only for a moment.

The Fallujah sounds also begin the album, with the title track, “Bioluminescence.” However, it’s basically the sound of that band mixing with furious black metal. It’s clear why it’s the title track because if Dawn of Ouroboros were to have a sound, this would be it. It’s quite a feat to make the title of the album and the track an earworm, so hats off.

Despite the band painting with a large palette, of course, the heavier or more brutal songs stand out. One of the finest examples of this is “Static Repetition.” At this moment I understand why they say they make music for themselves, as it’s very difficult not to be enthralled with this. The track is unrelenting, yet of course, still brimming with beauty. It’s certainly what the band specializes in.

From the heavy and unrelenting, “Mournful Ambience” journeys back into quiet beauty. It’s just Chelsea and a piano to close the album, and it works well. For many other bands, this would be seen as a change on which to expand for further releases. However, this is not something out of left field for the talented musicians in Dawn of Ouroboros.

While I will shy away from calling this their masterpiece, it’s tantalizingly close. I struggled with the review because I didn’t grasp the growth contained. Yes, it does still sound like a great band on the verge of something spectacular, but they’re even closer than before. Dawn of Ouroboros continues to improve with each album, and I’m happy to have been along for most of the ride.

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