WAMPYRIC RITES - The Wolves Howl to the Moon LP

Eclipsing that feat is their brand-new second album, The Wolves Howl to the Moon. Immediately, the record sounds like WAMPYRIC RITES - shimmering surge, velvety synths, hysteric shrieks across a dungeon deep - but the attack soon takes on deft dynamics, skillfully balancing robust physicality (often, headbangingly straightforward) and stained-glass sensitivity. The latter element is perhaps the boldest move here, as a variety of synth sounds - medieval organ, stargazing swirl, or even just the faintest daubing upon ripped-raw guitar - often play a prominent role in each of the album's five component songs. Yet, it's never done in a gaudy or gimmicky manner; it's but another layer to lose oneself in, as the songwriting itself allows the mind to wander and palpably experience the landscape as The Wolves Howl to the Moon. What's more, WAMPYRIC RITES incorporate shockingly beautiful acoustics, albeit sparingly, making their seemingly strictured canvas far vaster than otherwise suggested by vampiric BM standards.