FLESHVESSEL is an experimental death metal band from Chicago, Illinois. They will be releasing their debut full-length album, "Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed" on I, Voidhanger Records on July 28th, 2023. This album follows their 2020 EP, "Bile Of Man Reborn," which consisted of one expansive twenty-five-minute track. Their sound shares a lot in common with avant-garde bands like SLEEPYTIME GORILLA MUSEUM and ESTRADASPHERE. This is long-form experimental extreme metal and is not for everybody. There are equal parts free jazz and classical music infused into their brand of metal. It is difficult to adequately describe their ensemble sound with just a few words. It is also noteworthy to mention that four guest musicians play on this album. The guest musicians contribute glockenspiel, sleigh bells, darbuka, finger cymbals, trumpet, clarinet, and additional electric guitar to the mix.

This album consists of four long, sprawling songs, punctuated with three short vignettes splitting up the tracks. I recommend listening to this album as a whole in one sitting to fully appreciate what it has to offer. "Winter Came Early" opens the album with a pleasant introduction that leads you into a false sense of security before bombarding you with some evil, sick black metal. The drums on this album are programmed, which is a questionable choice, given the sheer number of players and instruments included. Nevertheless, they make it work with some impressive blast beats and drum rolls. As one movement fades out, another disparate one takes its place. The fact that all of the instruments used in each track complement each other so well is a songwriting feat in and of itself.

After the first track has its way with you, you are treated to a pleasing improvised piano piece by Troll Hart, in the form of "Promethean (Vignette I)." The track is a welcome respite from the, at times, chaotic "Winter Came Early," as well as a palate-cleanser for the following track, "A Stain." This track is as sprawling and expansive as the first. Quieter passages give way to more aggressive ones and the cacophony that sometimes arises is never unwelcome, yet always unexpected. This is one of those albums that makes you want to learn music theory to better understand its nuances. In this track, the upright piano is given an equal share as the lead guitar. Both of which are inspired performances. The drum programming makes sense in this track since the repeated blast beat sections would potentially be too tiring for all but the most virtuosic of drummers. This track also features Hart's deep, operatic vocals that add a gothic touch to the overall composition. The track later ends with a woman's voice narrating a woman performing funerary rites on her child.

The seventeen-minute final opus, "Eyes Yet To Open" is my favorite track. The song ebbs and flows, constantly evolving and developing, almost undulating before your ears. There are simply too many highlights to list and every time I listen to the album, I find more to challenge me. It just so happens that I love a challenge. There is a semblance of predictability to the songwriting as well. You know that after the music gets quiet that a loud and jarring part will come next. Just as what goes up must come down, the more abrasive and chaotic parts will be overtaken by more melodious passages. That's the only sonic roadmap that you are given on this esoteric journey. The beauty of "Yearning: Promethean Fates Sealed" is revealed in its many facets. As the final extreme metal movement of "Eyes Yet To Open" fades out, an uplifting and rejuvenating piano passage plays as if to remind us that it's always darkest before dawn.

"Yearning..." is a challenging album. It is nearly impenetrable at times, only to follow with some sparse, yet beautiful passage that makes you forget how abrupt the previous movement was, only to repeat the same formula. This album is a treasure trove that delivers on so many fronts the more you listen to it. It might take a couple of sittings before it finally clicks, but when it does, you will be more than grateful. This is not an album to put on when you want to unwind, but one you play to broaden your horizons.