Vit is an experimental black metal / doom metal outfit that came to be in the urban wastes known as Columbus, OH. This band hit the scene hard with their 2010 release, –. Since then, the band has been hard at work crafting their unique sound and unique lyrical subject matter. Despite sharing the genre tags of experimental black metal and doom metal, Vit have carved out a unique niche for them within the metal scene. With a sound truly unique, and lyrical subject matter to match, Vit continue to stand true to their beginnings and play the music they love to play (and play it well). The Dry Season showcases a mature band, a maturing sound, and also caters to a concept that affects the lives of every single Midwesterner, drought.
The musical compositions showcased on The Dry Season are raw, organic, and very well balanced between black metal and doom metal. The pacing of the material is magnificent, each song flowing wonderfully into the next. Not only that, but the band follows a long song, short song formula consistently throughout The Dry Seasons’ duration. “16 Bodies” opens with a drop into a massive rip and Vit hits the ground running! Following “16 Bodies” is “The Dry Season”, a short song that helps to set up for my favorite track on the album, “A Hymn of Benediction”. “A Hymn of Benediction” reminds me of “The Ascension Ritual” (my favorite song on –) because of the tasteful use of acoustic guitar and because of the similar song structures. Both start softly, build to a powerful climax, and return to a soft ending. “The Dry Season” concludes with “…and the Rain That Soon Followed”, a beautifully written song with a country twang; all played to the backdrop of falling rain.
The production on The Dry Season takes some getting used to. If you have a trained ear for the raw sounds of black metal and doom metal, then this EP will sit very well on your eardrums. Fans of more polished, processed music, beware! The production on this album helps the band achieve that raw, organic sound I feel they are striving for, but there are times where certain things are lost in the mix. For example, there is a violin solo during the outro section of “A Hymn for Benediction”. What’s the catch? I didn’t realize it was there until I asked myself what the high pitched whine was (and I posed that question on listen number four). Not only is the violin hard to hear in a “Hymn for Benediction”, but it’s hard to hear in the following track, “…and the Rain That Soon Followed”. Because there is much less going on within the final track, it would seem that the violin would be easier to hear, but alas, it is still a struggle. The acoustic guitar parts sit very well in the mix, along with the rest of the instrumentation on this EP, but the violin definitely fell through the cracks.
The drumming on The Dry Season is just what the music calls for. John Kerr takes control of each riff, each passage, and plays exactly what is necessary to get the most out of what is going on around him. No drum part is too bombastic, or too simple. Even the fills one may call “chaotic” have their place within their respective song (I.E. “A Hymn of Benediction”). Overall, John pulls through another job well done; a work to be proud of!
The Dry Season was a joy to listen to and I grew very fond of each track very quickly. The music is beautiful, the concept is tangible, and the band is in top form! Be sure to pick up a copy of this EP and definitely get out there and support them, as they appear onstage! Great job, gentlemen! Best of luck on your future musical endeavors!
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