Artist: By Blood Alone Album: Seas of Blood (2007) Label: Jericho Hill Records Website: http://www.bybloodalone.com Reviewer: Bill Knispel

Track List: 1) Serpentarius 2) Wants Me Dead 3) Undead Friend 4) Nidhogg 5) Lovely Lies 6) Seas of Blood 7) Deny Yourself 8) Little Lady Lillit “Undead Friend.” “Seas of Blood.” “Little Lady Lillit.” With titles like that...and of course, considering the band’s name, one would easily assume that By Blood Alone is a gothic metal band. It’s a reasonable guess, and fairly accurate, but By Blood Alone ups the ante with a fairish touch of old school progressive metal a la Iron Maiden at their galloping best. Fronted by Cruella on vocals, whose darkly tinged, throaty alto voice presents the 8 dark tales that make up Seas of Blood, the group’s debut release, By Blood Alone largely avoids the pitfalls and traps that litter the path of gothic metal. There are no beauty and the beast vocals here, nor are there extensive sections aspiring to Latin or Arabesque grandeur, which tend to remain mired in grotesque pomposity. In lieu of this, the listener is graced with an addictive, absinthe and spice soaked sonic brew that offers more than just your typical slice of dark metal. Take the album’s opening track, “Serpentarius,” as an example. Thrashy rhythm guitar opens the track, sounding like a typical mid-1980’s SF area metal band. Short bursts of synth strings break the beat, followed by what sounds like one of the most accurate violin patches ever committed to digital keyboard memory. By Blood Alone’s rhythm section (Runtt on drums and Jack Doran on bass) gallop along while Jenny Williams contributions on keyboards keep this song firmly this side of the progressive metal dividing line. John Graveside lets fly with a solo that relies more on tone than flashy runs of notes, dueling with Williams’ keyboards in a restrained, yet enjoyable fashion. Fairly typically for this album, “Serpentarius” is a bit of a lengthy track at 7:30, and it uses this time well, developing themes without falling prey to the temptation of jamming together disparate motifs that detract from the song rather than add to it. “Undead Friend” opens with a totally different feel, focusing on quiet piano and fragile vocals. From any other band, the effect would be quaint; from By Blood Alone, the effect is that of sinister nursery room music box music. The song shifts to a slightly more music hall feel before synth strings and bass join the mix. The full band joining the fray around 4 minutes in comes not a moment too soon, as it would have been difficult to maintain listening interest without some kind of musical development from the basic theme/arrangement. The final minutes almost seem like a totally different song thanks to the heavier arrangement, and it suits the piece well. “Nidbogg,” the following track, picks up form here in grand epic metal fashion, with plenty of ornate organ playing and crunchy rhythm guitar playing. Especially enjoyable is an all too rare bass solo at 4:00, offering Jack Doran an opportunity to show what he’s capable of. While not flashy or technical, his solo does not disappoint. I do think the mix could have been thickened just a touch...while highs are fairly crisp, and the bass thumps along pleasingly, mids seem weak by comparison. This softening in the middle frequencies robs the track of some of its grandness. I should make note here that this is a criticism I could wield against many bands on smaller indie labels; there often is simply not enough time/budget/whatever to get a mix to the same standards one would expect from a larger label or band. As such, it’s not something I would dock a band for (except under pretty extreme circumstances), but it is something to note. “Lovely Lies” is this album’s ‘epic’ track, clocking in at just over eight minutes. A slower, almost power ballad opening soon gives way to full on attitude, a serpentine organ line winding though Graveside’s fuzzed rhythm guitar, while Cruella spits the lyrics out, dripping with venom and bile. The beat is infectious...I caught myself nodding along with the song time after time, and the shifts in tone and tempo add a lot to the composition. I think this is the song more prog metal fans will find most pleasing, as it offers perhaps the most complexity and variety of the material on Seas of Blood. The album’s title track, another seven-minute plus piece, presents the band at their most grandiose, with a richly orchestrated opening movement leading into a gorgeous vocal/piano duet that is neither stilted nor fake sounding. Lyrically, the song is intense as well, weaving a tale of love and loss at the cruel hands of the sea. “Seas of Blood” and “Lovely Lies” are, for this reviewer, the highlights on a solid debut, showing passion and intensity driven in different directions, and to differing ends. “Little Lady Lillit” closes out the album and...well, to be honest, I’m not sure what to say about it. It sounds like it should be a nursery rhyme, but only if it had been written by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch or Donatien Alphonse-François de Sade. Piano and layered childlike vocals create an insane musical landscape. I’m not sure if I like it or not, but I do know one thing...the song is disturbing, nightmarish, and somehow fits the album like a steel fist in a velvet glove. Add in some wonderfully evocative cover art, courtesy of the National Maritime Museum in the UK (William van de Velde’s “A Mediterranean Brigantine Drifting Onto a Rocky Coast in a Storm”), and you have a nice little package that complements the material held within. For a first full length album (they have 1 EP currently available), By Blood Alone’s Seas of Blood shows promise. There are things that could be improved (a fuller, richer mix would only enhance these songs, imparting the weight and gravitas they deserve), but they are more technical quibbles than criticisms of the musicians. As a whole, Seas of Blood is a solid release that rewards across multiple listening sessions. Here’s to looking forward to future releases! Band Members: Cruella – Vocals John Graveside – Guitar Jack Doran – Bass Runtt – Drums Jenny Williams – Keys