Stellvris
Shatter & Bloom (EP)
Independent
Heavy music often gets a bad rap from the mainstream media for its perceived negativity, but one thing its adherents have always known is that it’s the best form of therapy. Those battling bullying, depression and the struggles of everyday life find camaraderie and strength in the pounding drums, crashing guitars and soaring vocals of metal. Case in point being Stellvris, a quartet from the continent who magically transform pain into power with a brand of modern metal made in the mould of Jinjer and Lacuna Coil. With a primal scream, opening (and title) track ‘Shatter & Bloom’ appears from nowhere and is all the more potent for its sudden arrival. Like a blast of white heat which sears the skin, it’s the perfect statement of intent and sets the tone for the coming five songs. Yet for all their raw power, Stellvris show a great deal of variety; the vocals in particular range from heavenly harmonies to demonic growls, whilst the band are equally versatile, mixing up beats and tempos and punctuating dense sonics with huge spaces. It means that Shatter & Bloom is over far too soon, but one thing is for certain; we’ll be hearing much more from Stellvris.
https://www.facebook.com/STELLVRIS.band
Review by Peter Dennis.