Vale of Pnath's technical death metal took a dark shift on last year's Accursed EP. We called the release "a vehicle for Vale of Pnath to explore interesting new directions, especially their chilling application of sounds associated with black metal." Now, the band have shared a video for Accursed highlight "Skin Turned Soil."
It certainly delivers on the blackened vibes promised. The song's opening finds the band switching styles, starting and stopping on a dime. Quickly strummed chords are laid atop blast beats before a sudden stop in both makes way for swift harmonies. It's not about the separation that makes this special, though. The horrific composition grows and a blackened undertow is shredded atop with riffs that run in circles — and in the same musical circles as the likes of Psycroptic. Subtle orchestral flourishes peak through the veil.
The video itself is pixelated as hell, which combines with its black and white colour scheme to bring to mind the aesthetic of classic black metal cover art. It's a testament to the visuals that even the performance shots are unsettling, but the story portion shows a porcelain beauty meeting a demon before her untimely demise.
Founding guitarist Vance Valenzuela explains why the song is so important to the band, as well as his vision for the video:
"Skin Turned Soil" was the first song written for Accursed, and I think it is the most important song on the EP. This song was what ultimately made me decide to take this route with our songwriting by adding darker riffing and symphonic elements to it. Although it has its dark moments, it still is able to keep plenty of melody and Vale of Pnath's core sound intact, which to my surprise worked very well. This video is just an extension of my artistic direction. It's stylized as a black and white horror film, as I think it fits the storytelling and overall atmosphere the song gives off. This video was a way for me to take what I heard in my head while writing the music and give it a visual to match. It was a lot of fun for us to make and I hope you enjoy.
Watch the "Skin Turned Soil" video below.
It certainly delivers on the blackened vibes promised. The song's opening finds the band switching styles, starting and stopping on a dime. Quickly strummed chords are laid atop blast beats before a sudden stop in both makes way for swift harmonies. It's not about the separation that makes this special, though. The horrific composition grows and a blackened undertow is shredded atop with riffs that run in circles — and in the same musical circles as the likes of Psycroptic. Subtle orchestral flourishes peak through the veil.
The video itself is pixelated as hell, which combines with its black and white colour scheme to bring to mind the aesthetic of classic black metal cover art. It's a testament to the visuals that even the performance shots are unsettling, but the story portion shows a porcelain beauty meeting a demon before her untimely demise.
Founding guitarist Vance Valenzuela explains why the song is so important to the band, as well as his vision for the video:
"Skin Turned Soil" was the first song written for Accursed, and I think it is the most important song on the EP. This song was what ultimately made me decide to take this route with our songwriting by adding darker riffing and symphonic elements to it. Although it has its dark moments, it still is able to keep plenty of melody and Vale of Pnath's core sound intact, which to my surprise worked very well. This video is just an extension of my artistic direction. It's stylized as a black and white horror film, as I think it fits the storytelling and overall atmosphere the song gives off. This video was a way for me to take what I heard in my head while writing the music and give it a visual to match. It was a lot of fun for us to make and I hope you enjoy.
Watch the "Skin Turned Soil" video below.
