Lantern - II: Morphosis

Published March 21 2017

*=Staff's pick	Black Miasma* Sleeper Of Hypnagog Hosting Yellow Fungi Cleansing Of The Air Necrotic Epiphanies Transmigration* Virgin Damnation Morphosis Lucid Endlessness*

Genre	Death Metal	Necrophilos	Vocals
Tracks	9	Cruciatus	Guitar
Running time	41 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Dark Descent Records	Cruciatus	Bass
Release	March 17, 2017	Cruciatus	Drums
Country	Finland	-	Keyboard
Producer	Dan Lowndes
Similar bands	Demigod, Sulphur Aeon, Bölzer

Another month, another album from a talented Finnish death metal band. This time around it is the sophomore disc from Kuopio's Lantern that are up for dissection. Lantern's debut 'Below' was an enjoyable take on the Finnish sound, circa Demigod, with heavy influences from the Floridian scene as well as modern outfits like Bölzer and Sulphur Aeon. The result was a dark mid-tempo oriented creation based on some catchy, yet pitch black, leads.

As the title hints we might be looking at something completely different with 'II: Morphosis'. Turns out already on opening track 'Black Miasma' though that the morphosis part is strictly lyrical. The music is, for good and for bad, simply a 'Below pt. 2'. The similarity is so striking that the band could easily have swopped songs between the two albums without breaking any patterns or raising eyebrows. At the end of the day though, that is not much of a problem really. As with its predecessor, 'Morphosis' is filled quality songs each bearing its distinctive features.

What is particular to my liking, are the enjoyable leads right in between Demigod and Sulphur Aeon. Again these are the core of the album and gives Lantern a fairly unique sound compared to their contemporaries. Besides the solid riffs and hooks, the listener is also treated with some excellent well pronounced growls by Necrophilos. Lantern are still to compose those otherworldly killers of songs that set apart the true giants of extreme metal. Even though the band is not quite there yet, they are surely closing in.

With 'Morphosis' Lantern firmly sets the sound formed on their debut. One might complain about the lack of development on 'Morphosis' compared to 'Below', despite the equal levels of quality between the two. But Lantern seems to have found a sound they are comfortable with and why fix what is not broken?

Performance	Originality	Production	Vocals	Songwriting
7	7	7	8	7

Summary
7 chalices of 10 - Tengan