Cronian
Terra
6.5
First off, congratulations are in order. Handling the release of Terra by Cronian – a collaboration between Mr. V (Vintersorg, Borknagar, Otyg, Havayoth, Fission, Waterclime) and Brun (Borknagar) – will be metal moguls Century Media. For the longtime worshippers of the two guys mentioned above, though, there’s not that much to rejoice about. This project doesn’t tackle anything that hasn’t been done on the Vintersorg discography, and despite its shiny façade, this is not what I’d call required listening.
Even casual fans generally know what to expect from Mr. V’s excursions: large doses of prog administered through synthesizers, majestic clean vocals/growls delivered by an incredible singer, and discussions centered on all things cosmic. Terra embraces the tradition wholeheartedly, but fails to distinguish itself from other efforts I’ve heard this camp produce. In short, there’s not too much to describe. Jack of all instruments Mr. V turns in yet another ovation-worthy performance, which is bolstered by the picking and programming of Brun. Of course, like every record he’s involved with, both kinds of vocals are exceptional, and I personally love his unique tone. No one has Mr. V’s set of pipes. Cronian, however, conjure a wintry atmosphere, made believable by songs such as “Arctic Fever,” “Iceolated,” and “The Alp.” The beautiful cover art serves as the deal-sealer. I can’t fight my gut reaction, though, warning me that Terra isn’t quite as original as it would prefer.
Something tells me that Cronian aren’t exciting enough to dedicate a whole lot of time to, plus the lack of deviation makes for an all-too-familiar listen for the previously initiated. The highlight of this collaboration isn’t even on this disc. Borknagar’s Empiricism features both men at the height of their creativity, and remains for me the most essential of Mr. V’s catalog. Vintersorg’s Cosmic Genesis is perhaps second. The others rank higher on the scale of extraneousness.
