SPIRIT ADRIFT – Divided By Darkness

Spirit Adrift have followed up their well received 2017 album Curse Of Conception with Divided By Darkness heralded as their heaviest and most accessible yet.  Further described as what modern Heavy Metal should be: ambitious, soul-bearing, pristinely written and widely-appealing.

“We Will Not Die” leads with call to arms percussion and growling riffs.  Bursts of melodic guitar and wailing vocals are interspersed amongst the overall rumble giving the song a pleasant vibe. The title track plods forward with Doom Metal precision and features a pleasant melodic bridge but lacks melodic guitar touches to cut the monotony.  “Born Into Fire” is a structural twin of “Divided By Darkness.” The bones of the song are good, but it’s undeveloped. “Angel And Abyss” distinguishes itself by setting up powerful Doom riffs between interludes of subdued ballad work.  The tension built and released is fully leveraged by a runaway riff and solo juggernaut to finish the song.  Far and away the best song on the album.

The second half of the album veers into a numbing morass of Doomy riffs laced with Progressive Metal elements and emotive wailing. The songs are leisurely paced with little complexity or sense of direction.  It’s excellent Heavy Metal Muzak but otherwise elusive and slippery.

Divided By Darkness isn’t a defining achievement for Spirit Adrift but rather another step in their development.  They have a distinctive sound, but need to develop music and lyrics that stick with the listener rather than flowing through them.

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TRACK LIST (Highlights: 1, 4, )

1. We Will Not Die (4:57)
2. Divided By Darkness (4:45)
3. Born Into Fire (5:12)
4. Angel & Abyss (6:32)
5. Tortured By Time (5:25)
6. Hear Her (3:57)
7. Living Light (4:43)
8. The Way Of Return (6:21)

LINEUP

Divided By Darkness Recording Credits:

Nathan Garrett – Lead and Harmony Vocals / Guitar / Bass
Marcus Bryant – Drums
Synth & Wurlitzer – Preston Bryant
Choral Vocals on “Living Light” – Kayla Dixon

Live Band

Nathan Garrett – Vox / Guitar
Marcus Bryant – Drums
Chase Mason – Bass
Jeff Owens – Guitar