There are three schools of symphonic extreme metal, generally speaking. You have neoclassical material, which aims to recreate the lush and delicate intricacies of classical music of a bygone era reinvigorated by a metallic influence. Then, there’s the cinematic blockbuster approach, where choirs and orchestral hits function as a source of grandiose drama and explosive scale. Finally, you have the oddball works of mad scientists who use orchestration as a tool primarily to create strange and uncomfortable music. Vortex fall under the second category, alongside contemporaries like (modern) SepticFlesh, Gorgon, Shadow of Intent, and Dimmu Borgir. All of the expected baubles—twinkling piano, plucking harps, swirling strings, opulent choirs, and imperial brass—propagate in dense swaths across this record’s tight thirty-six-minute runtime, fronted and, occasionally, backed by heavy guitars, gruff roars, and pummeling drums. If you’ve heard this kind of thing before, The Future Remains in Oblivion won’t offer anything new, but it also won’t offend.
If there’s anything that Vortex nails, it’s drama. Album highlight and banger track “First Blood” is simply massive, with an awesome, if somewhat unoriginal, riff base that provides ample scaffolding for the epic symphonics. Pulling from the blackened approach of Dimmu Borgir mixed with the rapid-fire pacing of Unflesh, “First Blood” seethes with an icy breath, excellent piano embellishments and weird vox effects dancing furiously with interesting metallic harmonies and dynamic lead guitar solo performances. The title track and closer “When No More Words Will be Heard” offer the best examples of the band’s orchestral compositions, each boasting a cinematic intro and emotive passages soaring at every opportunity (albeit sometimes at the expense of compelling riffs), and simple but effective lead guitar work—both in regards to solos and trem-picked melodies. Excellent editing maximizes the impact of every strength Vortex displays here as well. No track exceeds five-and-a-half minutes, with most under five. Every idea presented in those runtimes belongs where it appears, and feel purposeful, without having to eat up excessive amounts of real estate to make its presence felt. In short, despite the scope and scale of the compositions from an aesthetics standpoint, The Future Remains in Oblivion is lean and easy to digest.
It’s unfortunate, then, that for every strength attributed to The Future Remains in Oblivion, there’s a shortcoming to offset it. The choirs and orchestrations are well arranged and effective, and yet riffs take the back seat in order to make room for those orchestrations more often than not (“From the Sun,” “Downfall”). Additionally, there are several instances where songs mirror one or more of Vortex’s influences (“The Fool” mimics a B-movie version of SepticFlesh’s “Coming Storm,” and “Our Possible End” reeks of an assortment of various Shadow of Intent cuts), instead of drawing some inspiration from those sources to integrate with their own distinct voices. Lastly, and like untold hordes of albums in this particular field, the production is not roomy enough to give proper space to all the densely packed instrumentation present. The more opulent and decadent the composition, the less defined one or more players inside it become, with the upfront vocals constituting the only exception. A less cramped mix and master would a much more detailed and dynamic experience make.
All in all, The Future Remains in Oblivion is a mixed bag. There are cool ideas scattered throughout, but the record exposes as many cons as pros. At the time of this article’s publication, it’s impossible to say where this record ranks in relation to the rest of Vortex’s unexpectedly well-stocked catalog. However, I can say that those with an established affinity for the style are likely the only audience to whom I’d readily recommend this installment in an overcrowded pool.
Rating: Mixed
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self Release
Websites: vortexband.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/vortex.band.ca
Releases Worldwide: June 9th, 2023
