Review PATRIARCHS IN BLACK “Visioning”

“Visioning” is already the third album by Patriarchs In Black. The band is the brainchild of Dan Lorenzo and Johnny Kelly. Now these two names are well known and associated with bands like Type O’Negative, Hades and Non-Fiction. What Patriarchs In Black deliver is in a way the common denominator of these bands when it comes to music and sound.

Always supported by a number of guests, the band debuted in 2022 with an album called ‘Reach For The Scars’, and it was the sophomore release ‘My Veneration’ that was unveiled a year later.

The latest album features a track list of twelve songs, starting with an intro called “Entry”. Already when listening to the first song “What Do They Know? (For the Champions)”, one thing becomes evident. “Visioning” is not an easy listening album that blossoms immediately. It takes a while for these songs to unfold their black-hearted beauty, and it takes focus to dig into the depths of each track.

The song reflects the progressiveness of Hades and the darkness of bands like Type O’Negative, resulting in songs like the slow but brutal ‘Heart if Spite’. Slow and dangerous like lava, the mesmerising structure and slow pace rolls over you and if you think ‘Low Price’ is a breather, I have to disappoint you. Patriarchs In Black remain true to their musical principles and continue their journey in black.

An expected twist though is what comes next. “Welcome to Hell Again” suddenly brings some rap parts to the surface, which contributes to the flow of the album, sounds good and is still a weird moment before “Whiskey on my Mind” adds a strong southern blues vibe to the mix. Although the album is a fusion of genres, the dark and melancholic mood is the glue that holds each track together. The rock’n’roll roots are represented by ‘Curse my Name’ and ‘Birth’ is an acoustic song with a cello.

“Visioning” is an album with many musical references. Driven by two guys with a solid history in rock and metal, Patriarchs In Black is more of a collective than a band, providing a common musical foundation for each of the songs, while at the same time allowing for an interesting level of variation that needs to be explored with focus and attention.