Born from the mind of a one man multi-instrumentalist and now a stage crushing post-apocalyptic three piece – Pteroglyph make a long awaited return with their brand new six track LP. The past three releases have been stacked with colossal development for Pteroglyph as an entity. As the years have progressed we’ve seen the band bend and change from the hands of a one man DIY writing process through to this widely tech influenced, yet more aggressive tirade present in 2020. Solaire is as expansive as it is frantic, with longstanding founder Jimmy Macgregor joining forces with drummer Elliott Alderman-Broom & old friend Ansley Prothero to expose a newfound violent streak and a passion for destruction. You won’t find the echo of a slow introduction here, as the album plunges without hesitation into the wild drilling of the record’s title track. The anguish present in its harrowed vocals comes from a place almost guttural, and a more dynamic approach than some of their older material leaves all the more room for a heavier guitar tone. It’s an encouraging start, and as we accelerate through the record it’s clear to see that, track by track, Solaire ups the ante on what was already an ambitious project. Each song is as unforgiving as the last, barely stopping for breath as Pteroglyph storm through this high octane studio performance. ‘Folorne’ maintains this unrelenting stamina, a definite highlight of the record, that resembles nothing short of a melee from end to end. Turbulent by design, the drilling pattern of those engulfing guitar riffs will be enough to insight a frenzy through any set of headphones. These primal bottom string constructions are the center of it all, only letting up their drive in the final seconds of ‘Crown of Bones’, an apt title to close such a ruthless collection of material. It’s laid bare throughout that this release has left a huge amount of space between their upcoming record and the rest of the band’s discography. While some older fans might be skeptical of this new direction, the delivery of Solaire has been fully loaded to the brim with ample amounts of depth to the vocal performance and a dynamic shift through a collection of blast beats & breakdowns, bringing a desire to bang your heads where you stand. A push further onto the field of modern metal, Solaire is set to take its place as a benchmark for a band rapidly climbing the ranks of the UK metal community. Good quality production & a vocal narrative poured straight from Macgregors cranium make it a must listen for all you fans of genuine heavy music. Score: 8/10 Solaire is released November 6th via Blood Blast. Pre-order the record here.
