Review: “Corn Ritual” by Fragmentum

On one hand a lot has changed for Belgian Melodic Dark Metal act Fragmentum since the brilliance of 2021 concept album “Masters of Perplexity“ and on another, nothing has. Behind the scenes, founding members, guitarists and vocalists Jan Bruggeman and Gunnar Nopens welcome a new rhythm section to their long established project, positions which have been something of a revolving door. Bassist Jeroen Van Wauwe and drummer Wouter Macaré replace Thomas Wallentin and Paul De Smet respectively for “Corn Ritual“, a record which acts as a continuation of the Mayan themes explored with its predecessor. That found the band being described as a hybrid of Depeche Mode and In Flames with melodies, synths and ambient sounds combined with heavy riffs and crushing grooves…

…and having been formed almost a decade ago by Bruggeman and Nopens, their vision for Fragmentum has not changed. The science fiction inspired sounds of the opening strains of “Corn Ritual” are dark and intriguing, a stark contrast to the ethnic sounds you might have anticipated. Those synths build a dark and oppressive atmospheric around the chugging guitars, scalding vocals making the track sound like it is being delivered by a wrathful god of the ancients. A melodic guitar solo bleeds into a solo of keys, the formulation distinctively falling somewhere between 80’s Gothic Synthwave and the Gothenburg sound of Melodic Death Metal. That holding pattern continues into “A Sense Of Fear“, the cold unclean vocals the heaviest part of the bands sound with this one having at its heart a more playful interaction between guitars and keys. There are a couple of points where you can foresee the band bursting into Evanescence or In Flames tunes, the melodic, lukewarm keyboard introduction to “Saviour Of The Tribe” being one such moment. Instead the band increase the intensity of the guitars which reach staccato riff breaks before breaking out into crushing groove by the mid section. The shadow of intent provides an undercurrent that is dark and brooding without having that gut punch moment that it screams out for. A vocal change up, a vibrant piece of lead or a heavy breakdown would make all the difference but instead the band seem to play with a level of restraint, refusing to let go of the reins for even a split second.

Throat shredding vocals don’t mask the storytelling prowess in “Ghost Of The King“, a cut of rich black coffee melody with the ascending leads in the mid section that give it the point of difference. It strikes a finer balance between the guitars and keys than some of the earlier cuts which gives it more of a nuanced feel, something which ultimately makes for one of the records finer points. The tale of a new King rising is held within “Mighty Wing“, a cut that leans heavily on inspirations from the likes of Dark Tranquillity as it flows from the river to the sea. Clearly forged in the same fires this one is more refined, ensuring that the record ends on a high rather than disappearing into Alice’s Wonderland. A record that continues the perpetual forward motion of Fragmentum, this one is solid and dependable without having that sprinkle of stardust…  [7/10]

Track Listing

“Corn Ritual” by Fragmentum is out 10th May 2024 via Gio Smet Records