Thermality - The Final Hours

Angry Metal Guy

Envy is a powerful drug. At no point does it give me any kind of high, and yet once I get a hit of it, I have a difficult time letting it go. Whether it be someone who inspires me to improve a skill or talent I already have, or someone who just can do something I as of this moment can’t, seeing artists accomplish feats that I struggle to fathom leaves me in a murk of awe, admiration, and envy, all in equal measure. Enter Swedish melodic death metal band Thermality, comprised of five kids who are all at least a decade younger than me right now, as they release their sophomore record The Final Hours with full label support from Black Lodge.

Pulling a great deal of influence directly from early In Flames and some of Kalmah’s jauntier fare, Thermality’s second outing contains a whopping fifty-five minutes of chunky riffs, effervescent guitar melodies, bumping rhythms, and throaty rasps. High levels of Gothenburg aura radiate from these thirteen tracks, providing more than a fair amount of swagger to the overwhelming majority of Thermality’s material. As a record, The Final Hours evokes a distinct Aether Realm-esque character, storytelling both in musical composition and lyrical content taking top priority. For Thermality, this strategy works extremely well. If nothing else, composing The Final Hours the way they have demonstrates that the band fully understands their references, knows how to write with a rapidly developing voice inside a deeply established field, and performs it with polish and poise beyond their short years.

The Final Hours by Thermality

The tricky part about writing a long-form, story-driven record in this style is making sure all of its material is strong enough to keep me interested and immersed as a listener. Thermality do an admirable job of the attempt, but fall just short of the landing. While early cuts like “Weeping Angels” and “Stranger” hit harder with galloping riffs and vivacious grooves, the record passes by rather forgettably until “Nightfall.” With each song tapping out around the four-minute mark, I’m stuck in a bit of a rut waiting for The Final Hours to lock me in for approximately thirty minutes. It’s a long wait. Compounding this issue, Thermality’s vocalist sounds strained and rough around the edges. He manages to hold it together throughout, but I found myself worrying that his technique here will result in injury before improvement. That being the case, it’s been difficult to cozy up to the record the way I’d ideally prefer.

Nevertheless, Thermality’s strength as songwriters shines through in The Final Hour’s best offerings. Album highlight duo “Nightfall” and “The Hunter and the Nightmare” utilize eerie, ethereal synthwork to great effect as an introductory hook, leading directly to some of the record’s strongest guitar lines. Meanwhile, the latter song makes great use of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” for a classical twist in solos and lead melodies, and then uses those cribs as a vehicle for buttery smooth transitions back to original material. Aforementioned early star “Stranger” marks the highlight of the first half, boasting excellent synergy between core theme, lead melody, and exuberant percussion. Not only are these musical cohorts well matched, but they are also quite memorable in spite of—or perhaps because of—their compositional straightforwardness. On a grander scale, The Final Hour isn’t the most memorable record, but it is enjoyable in the moment. Beyond proving the potential these young artists possess, this record’s reliably pleasurable nature showcases the hard work and diligence Thermality put into their craft. That dedication alone demands respect.

The Final Hours is just the beginning for Thermality. Talented but practiced, young but polished, passionate but thoughtful, they’ve already attained a full understanding of who they are and what they want their music to sound like. What follows is merely a matter of momentum. The Final Hours itself didn’t impress me as better-rated records I’ve covered must. However, the band garnered my full attention after creating a work that sounds this professional at such an early stage. I am very interested to hear how they develop and improve. The Final Hours come just before a bright new era for Thermality.

Rating: Mixed [Non-Derogatory]
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Black Lodge Records
Website: facebook.com/thermality | thermality.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: August 16th, 2024

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