IRON BONEHEAD PRODUCTIONS is proud to present the highly anticipated debut demo of VEILED, Omniscient Veil. Although indeed the band's very first recording under the VEILED banner, the mysteriously titled Omniscient Veil is more of a rebirth than a brand-new birth itself: VEILED was born from the demise of Gnosis of the Witch as a necessity to break away from the monotony of mundane expectation. With heavy emphasis on astral atmospheric vibrations and ethereal soundscapes, VEILED is the matured growth of what the nevertheless-celebrated Gnosis of the Witch could not have been in its existence. Across the four expansive tracks of Omniscient Veil, the American duo patiently build yawning 'n' yearning chasms of ever-swirling black metal mysticism, neither tied to the first wave nor the new wave nor any wave. Ancient yet wholly modern, Omniscient Veil beckons complete and utter immersion, taking the grim hysteria of VEILED's preceding guise into subtler, more measured territory, landscapes that are nameless but somehow within grasp. IRON BONEHEAD label boss PK even adds harrowing session vocals to the second song, thus completing the totality that is Omniscient Veil. From total death comes total rebirth...
“Where there’s life there’s hope” – J. R. R. Tolkein. As Gnosis of the Witch fell into ruins and the band was cast aside to the black metal graveyard, Veiled rose from the ashes to thrust the flame of the torch skyward. Like the maturation of caterpillar to butterfly, Veiled soars where Gnosis of the Witch once crawled through the muck. But enough soliloquy. Veiled’s demo, Omniscient Veil, thrusts forth ready to attack and inspire. It’s a wholeheartedly enjoyable work of black metal with just enough invention to make it adhere to the brain.
It is shocking that Gnosis of the Witch, who earlier this year dropped a split with Swedish vets Grá (reviewed here) suddenly decided to call it quits. Their straight ahead black metal with touches of atmosphere was a welcome sound among the United States black metal scene. Yet, here is Veiled. Full of piss and vinegar but also sensitive and melodic. In a way, Veiled is a much-needed step forward for what was Gnosis of the Witch and it’s fair to assume that the older incarnation of the band wasn’t going to get over that hump.
Omniscient Veil is a demo. A tape demo actually. Tapes now being all the rage for music collectors now that vinyl collecting has become somewhat mainstream. But the recording does not suffer for the inferior format. In fact, it doesn’t sound much like a demo at all. Omniscient Veil is a polished work. Four tracks spanning nearly thirty-minutes that rise and fall with tension, anger and melodic valleys of fear.
The vocals take a welcome and explosive, turn on “II” as the normally undermixed black metal vocals leap to the forefront in near commanding fashion. A sort of Aldrahn style of attack (especially his work on the final tracks for The Deathtrip). The effect is such that the entire track takes on a near torturous style enhanced by the stony echoes by way of reverb.
A great album to listen to immediately before being taken by sleep or during the early dawn hours of insomnia induced insanity, Omniscient Veil, is a solid take on American black metal with a few touches and influences that make it slightly original and unique. And while the final track might take a bit to catch on, the buildup is worth the wait. Take a listen but beware of the demons that the mysticism of Veiled is likely to conjure forth.
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