‘Ringing the Bell of Gleaming Martyrdom’ by Within Thy Wounds
‘Ringing the Bell of Gleaming Martyrdom’ by Within Thy Wounds
Within Thy Wounds became a notable name in atmospheric black metal with the release of 2020’s Forest of Iniquity. The artist expertly mixed elements of shoegaze and ambiance to create a somber, emotional, and breathtaking tone. Within Thy Wounds’ latest release, Ringing the Bell of Gleaming Martyrdom, features many of the artist’s hallmarks from the previous album while incorporating enough new elements that push Within Thy Wounds’ sounds and themes into interesting new territory.
The first, self-titled song, showcases this departure. It is notably more aggressive than songs featured on Forest of Iniquity. It rapidly builds an atmosphere and isn’t afraid to have ripping guitars for almost the entire duration. Within Thy Wounds does create a more soothing, somber atmosphere towards the song’s conclusion, though. The second song, “With the Night as My Eternal Adversary,” shows how Within Thy Wounds isn’t afraid to get heavier and more chaotic compared to the past. It uses wild, synchronous sweeping and blast beats, and it even features a thrash-inspired breakdown in the middle of the track. I found this song a surprise overall compared to the artist’s catalog, and listening to it is a blast. It’s probably my favorite track on the album.
If there’s another callout when it comes to Ringing the Bell of Gleaming Martyrdom, it’s that you should listen to the album as one piece. There are many seamless transitions between songs on the album. Going from the second song to “Upon the Hand of the Accuser” is an example. It’s a more traditional black metal song with many notable elements of the genre, but then the album uses its fourth instrumental track as a transition piece of sorts. “The Coward's Spell, Twice Invoked” is a welcomed surprise in the middle of the album compared to the first three songs. This dungeon synth song evokes somber and mystical feelings with dramatic percussion and piercing synthesizers. Though Within Thy Wounds has experimented with elements of dungeon synth in the past, the artist appears willing to include the genre more heavily in current projects.
The remainder of the album will please those big fans of Forest of Iniquity as “Conjuring Doctrines of Delusion” and “Gathering Within the Eternal Storm” pull from Within Thy Wounds’ strengths in ambient, atmospheric black metal. These songs remain intense but create a mellow and emotional atmosphere. Building on how pretty and emotional atmospheric black metal can be, Within Thy Wounds leans heavier into a blackgaze influence on the final track, “Clothed with Majesty and Splendor,” which uses literal hymnals at times. It’s a beautiful song that again showcases how Within Thy Wounds is willing to experiment with various sounds yet stay true to the strengths and sounds the artist created in the past.
Ringing the Bell of Gleaming Martyrdom concludes with seven songs, a Biblical number of completion, and I think that’s an excellent way to describe the album: complete. The album remains true to Within Thy Wound’s original sound while incorporating enough new elements to create genuine surprise and excitement throughout its playtime. It’s a wonderful album that lends the best experience to listening to it as one complete piece of music. Overall, I am excited to see what other new territory Within Thy Wounds is willing to explore in future releases, and hopefully we don’t have to wait another four years for it.
