Symphonic death is a tricky subgenre to nail. While there are skilled exponents, bands peddling the dramatic style tread a fine line in balancing the ornate orchestral elements and heavy-hitting metal, without diminishing one or the other of the fused components. Such as the symphonic elements feeling tacked on or the metal edge blunted. Overall, it’s a mixed formula for yours truly, though I am certainly not opposed to the style when executed well (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Zornheym, Septicflesh, Dreamgrave). Hailing from Switzerland and sporting a bombastic, prog-infected symphonic death sound, unheralded act Kerberos aim to make their mark on the scene with their second album, Apostle to the Malevolent. Not one to do the style in half measures, Apostle to the Malevolent jams a multitude of orchestral elements and symphonic flair to otherwise traditional metal instrumentation, creating a colorful sound that on surface levels ticks all the boxes for a good time for enthusiasts of the style. Kerberos manage to cram all their sophisticated ideas, choirs and orchestra into a lean runtime, clocking in a shade under the half-hour mark. But can Kerberos back up the bombast and efficiency with gripping songwriting?
The first couple of the five tracks comprising Apostle to the Malevolent will likely weed out the non-believers. Opening instrumental “Praeludium in H Moli” plays into the band’s flair for orchestral dramatics with mixed results, setting the scene for first proper track, “Near-Violence Experience.” Apostle to the Malevolent credits a Kerberos choir and orchestra in addition to the core foursome. The elaborate nature of the band’s vision is reflected in the song’s crunchy riffs, busy arrangement, densely layered instrumentation, and dueling male-female vox; ranging from operatic female contributions and a strange mix of deep male clean singing and harsher growls. It’s an ambitious tune, if a little scattershot. The impressive musicianship, countered by the overstuffed and convoluted nature of the arrangement, prevents it fully lifting off.
Vocally, the male cleans come across as melodramatic and more than a little cheesy. However, Ai-lan Metzger’s stirring vocals and accompanying choirs lend the album a vibrant voice to match the swelling orchestral touches. When traded off with the harsher variations, the impact is more forceful. On the other hand, Félicien Burkard (who also handles guitars and fretless bass) clean vox are an unwelcome distraction. Kerberos lean further into the goth-tinged symphonic dramatics on “Alpine Sea,” another example of the band’s solid skills and exuberant talents, marred by a longer than needed runtime and questionable vocal transitions. The most successful example of Kerberos’ talents resides in mid-album cut “Liar Within.” it doesn’t greatly deviate from the rest of the album. However, the ingredients flow with greater fluency, while the increased aggression, speed and thrashy urges lend some extra punch to the soaring vocal hooks and lush symphonics.
Song length remains a recurring issue. As previously stated, the album is short and sweet, though several individual tracks struggle to maintain interest across their heftier lengths (including nine-minute closer “Apostle to the Malevolent”). On the plus side, some tasty material is scattered throughout, flashing the potential for Kerberos to deliver something more substantial and fully formed down the track. Importantly for any symphonic metal project, the orchestral elements don’t sound like tacked on afterthoughts, bolstered by a bright, dynamic production. However, occasionally the instruments seem to fight and jostle for space, creating a clunkier feel to certain sections, leading to some overkill and awkward results. This may present a case for Kerberos and their additional friends to refine and declutter their sound to more potent effect. The mixed bag vocals also require some work, the attempts at deeper growls and Burkard’s questionable cleans could use some tuning up.
Symphonic metal can go either way for me, and I am often especially selective with what floats my boat. Kerberos deliver an intriguing LP, featuring enough positives to find a solid audience on board with their particular brand of grandiosity and gothy-drama. Unfortunately, Apostle to the Malevolent is a messy affair, which feels unnecessarily bloated and convoluted despite its scant length. When they hone their songwriting focus into more aggressive, urgent realms and let the riffs do the heavy lifting, the band’s potential shines brightly. There remains some solid material and classy elements, with ample room for growth and refinement for Kerberos to match their ambitious vision with tighter songwriting chops.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Self-Released
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: March 14th, 2025
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