Blighted Eye – Agony’s Bespoke

You know my running joke: I judge albums by their cover. When I received Blighted Eye – Agony’s Bespoke, I had two thoughts: this is either going to be AOTY material or a typical 2.5/5.0. There’s no middle ground. When a band takes itself this seriously, things can either fly or crash and burn. Especially when there’s a plot in the album that’s heavily inspired by an extremely raw and depressing film (The Nightingale). Hence, I approached this release with incoherent expectations. Anyway, let’s see if Blighted Eye can pull it off.

Fine, I’m just going to say it: Agony’s could easily be the revelation of the year (the band has only an EP before this). This is just an extremely mature work that shows a level of musicianship, songwriting, and emotional complexity that many bands don’t achieve during their entire careers. Take the melodic power of Sodomisery, the emotional depth of Harakiri for the Sky, and the development of White Ward, and you’ll have an idea of what Blighted Eye is going for. It’s a storm of ideas that constantly hit the mark to create a bleak, harrowing, but engaging atmosphere that never stops evolving. It’s a strange balance between Prog, Death, and Black Metal that, despite its length, kept me coming back.

The easiest thing to point out in Agony’s is the guitar work. It borders on what you’d find in any Swedish Melodic Death Metal band. I know I’ve said before that we live in a post-guitar solo era, but Blighted Eye clearly didn’t get the memo. It’s rare to find an album with so many dynamic elements that still manages to stay as melodic as possible. Then there are the vocals, which I’m sure many won’t highlight. There’s a surprising level of variation here, which is why I’m having such a hard time deciding which box to put Blighted Eye in (how about we don’t put bands in solid boxes? Just saying!). I usually throw a joke here, but this is serious work! It’s more serious than whatever you pretend to do in the office when your boss is watching.

There’s only one potential issue with this album, and it’s about patience. Agony’s is long—not ridiculously long, but the tracks have a lot of passages and sections that could alienate those of you who can’t focus for more than five minutes (so, most of you). There’s some possible trimming to do here and there. For example, do we really need “Nightingale” in an album of this size? It’s an interlude, and you know I’m on a crusade to wipe them off the planet. Either way, Agony’s is a rewarding experience for those willing to embrace it.

I started this review wondering if that art was backed up by serious music. The answer is yes. The competition for AOTY is tough this year, and the heavy hitters are still to come, but when it comes to blending styles with ease, not many bands are coming close to what Blighted Eye has achieved here. It has built a tragic and captivating narrative that I can’t help but admire. So, you should get off your lazy butt and do the same!

Label: Beyond The Top Records

Release date: 20 September, 2024

Website: https://www.facebook.com/BlightedEye

Country: USA

Score: A rewarding revenge, or 4.0/5.0!