Celephaïs - Becoming The Deceased (2011)

Band: Celephaïs
Country: Wählen, Germany
Style: Atmospheric/Post-Black Metal
Label: Independent

I found this album looking through some blogs and from the written description, sounded pretty cool. There really isn't all that much info on this project, so giving an accurate description of them is a bit hard. All I really know is that this is apparently their first album.
This four song album really brings something a little bit different than what I guess I expected it to sound like. It kind of takes elements from both the post-black metal sound, the more melancholic and moody melodies, and from the atmospheric side, obviously the atmospheric, but I don't know if I'd go so far as to say it's dominated by either of those sounds. There are equal moments of more melancholic beauty, the title-track, Becoming The Deceased, as well as moments of more abrasive black metal, Shroud of Mirrors. The lack of vocals on these songs allowed, at least for myself, to focus solely on the instrumentation, which is strong and melodic. I find that vocals would actually distract from the instrumentation on here if they had been used.
Unlike a lot of new projects and bands coming out of the post-black metal scene, because I would still say that term does apply to what's being played on here, this album has a lot more of an epic, and maybe even progressive, nature to it. There's less of a focus to be post-rock or shoegaze mixed with black metal, and is more the opposite, black metal infused with post-rock, in this case, tendencies. Something I found to be, I guess, refreshing on here were the cleaner guitar tones used, they're weren't done in that usual dreamy and ethereal way a lot of bands try to present them, it's done in a much more Pink Floyd going post-rock way. The progressions from soft to heavy on here are also well done and do not feel abrupt or out of place, another strong point for this project.
This is a very strong debut that really demonstrates a stronger sense of self than a lot of other debuts that come out under this tag. While I'd say that there's still a little bit of work to be done here and there in terms of taking this sound to the next level, what's presented on here is really good. Definitely check this album out if you're interested in post-black metal, or atmospheric metal, experimental black metal and the like.
Overall Score: 8.5
Highlights: Becoming The Deceased, Our Hideout Among The Stars