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Band: Code
Album title: Flyblown Prince
Release date: 4 June 2021
Label: Dark Essence Records
Genre: Progressive Black Metal/Post-Rock
Tracklist:
01. Flyblown Prince
02. Clemency & Atrophy
03. By The Charred Stile
04. Rat King
05. From The Next Room
06. Dread Stridulate Lodge
07. Scold's Bridle
08. The Mad White Hair
After four years without releasing a full-length, the British legendary experimental extremists, Code, are back with Flyblown Prince, released on 4 June via Dark Essence Records.
The work of this band stands out for the diversity of styles it presents with each new album. The first albums unfolded into progressive black metal with some avant-garde touches. But Mut, the band's fourth album, was something else entirely, a radical change in style. Code was able to transmute his black metal into neo-progressive rock. Sound strange and, in the general context of the works released so far, the style that suits the band was not well defined. But none of this affects the band's musical quality. Each of their albums is unique and interesting, albeit strange. Code has had some changes in its lineup as well, and maybe that has influenced its music, but still, the real goal is to create different products with each new work. In this way, the band remains at an attractive level of creativity and the forefront.
Flyblown Prince is arguably one of the most extreme and intense of Code's albums released. The ever-changing soundscapes and moods are the hallmark of the band. Code's now consists of Aort on guitars, Lordt on drums, Syhr on bass and Wacian on vocals, with guitarist Andras supporting the recordings. The album unfolds in 44 minutes, eight tracks that surprise both individually and equally as an ensemble, from beginning to end.
The first track, "Flyblown Prince", is a surprise right away. A solid start, as it should be. The vocals are forceful, the dissonant riffs combined with the melody leaves you wondering what will come next.
"Clemency & Atrophy" is lesser aggressive, with a ghoulish atmosphere with dynamic and cliff-hanging vocals. "By The Charred Stile" continues with the characteristic dissonance, opening with unwieldy riffs and clean vocals that are briefly juxtaposed by some harsher. My "cherry cake" track, "From The Next Room" is perfect. It is the lesser aggressive track on the whole album and highly melancholy. A song where Wacian surpasses himself, exploring all of his vocal abilities, the bass and guitar connect with such perfection that it hurts. What a beautiful track. On the manic, fast-moving side, "Scold's Bridle" is captivating, a dark and almost demonic gallop across fields lit by a blood moon. Rounding out Flyblown Prince's great art, "The Mad White Hair" is a perfect 11:56 minutes closing track. In it, all the elements explored are highly harmonic and with epic characteristics. Again, a "Hails!" for Code.
Flyblown Prince's cover art represents the music perfectly, Kristina Pavleska (Mors Ultima Ratio Art) captured the essence and sublimely gave colours to the music notes.
In the last word regarding Code's music, boldness is the band's defining characteristic. The quadrumvirate transposes traditional barriers, composing a truly progressive artistic work with a theatrical aspect, with aggressive, melancholic, sometimes even depressive and desperate lines. Flyblown Prince is an admirable album, one of the band’s best albums. Code is a band ahead of time.
The review was written by Felin Frost
Rating: 8,0/10
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