What’d accumulate in geologic time now acts as a map for the wisened page-hand(s) of Nederland, Colorado-based post-black/doom quartet VELNIAS in parse of countless revolutions, minds absorbed within layer upon layer detail risen and fallen empires of the wild untold. Arriving upon a point of no return the threatened sentient divine their own self-imposed doom as this fourth full-length album trades learned ignorance for instinct, wrestling through the detritus of time. A proportionate expanse beyond ramping possibilities ‘Substrate Haruspex‘ is the band’s balmiest epic to date, a heady metaphysical conjuration which slow-builds upon the experiential atmospheric froth of its predecessor with increased complexity amidst broader deployment of post-metal informed structures and progressivist strata.

Velnias have been wandering the Rocky Mountains in various commune since 2006, likely taking sonic inspiration from the emergence of Agalloch and the popular rise of adjacent atmospheric/post-black metal formae to start. Consistently melodramatic, loftily stated and prone to dabble within folken grace and modern doomed movements their craft tends toward quality over quantity wherein each long-waited release speaks to a meticulous standard and features pronounced evolutionary result. Over the course of their first three albums their work could be reasonably compared to Fen, (later) The Flight of Sleipnir and certain Falls of Rauros records in terms of locus and angles taken upon post-metal and “Cascadian” folken doom style. As a peaking moment abreast a nigh-decadelong halt album number three (‘Scion of Aether‘, 2020) which I’d reviewed favorably upon release, admirably embraced the atmospheric doomed growl from within and slowly won me over in the process of examination. Six years beyond that point this fourth longplayer embraces post-metallic and progressive temperament in service to a leap just as profound as their last.

This’d all been well telegraphed a few years ago when the band released ‘Rending of Dyadic Convolution‘ (2023) a digital single featuring a somewhat different draft of the final third (three pieces) of ‘Substrate Haruspex‘ running order. In hindsight that version of “Rending of Dyadic Convolution” was crystal clear in its implication of both the quality and construction of this fourth album though the final draft ripples with additional layering and greater perceived echoic space, less containment. The mid-paced humming and churning rain of this new sound design is evident as Velnias warm the scene, break a few clouds apart between the climb of introductions (“Impetus Arcanum”) and ~direct linkage to opener “Divination of Simulacra”. The effect is nigh psychedelic in its shimmering uphill romp, a jogging paced and somewhat complex conversation between two main guitar threads as they trade excitation and invagination into a blurring, twisted clashing rise.

Hymnal echoes and (later on) clean vocals make more immediate appearance throughout ‘Substrate Haruspex‘ for effect, taking the reigns from Velnias relatively quieted growls this time around, suiting the progressive rock level exchanges between the two guitarists throughout. Though the band’ve been accused of narrative and cinematic qualities in the past this is truly represented on a level of sub-genre heroes (and not without some tropes inserted) as the album bristles with both melodic and fragmented/interruptive movements. “Resonance of the Concentric” is probably the loudest, or, easiest to decipher example of their plate-spinning hands contorting both beauteous and recirculating motioning into an eerily glowing state. I’m not exactly suggesting the authors are Yellow Eyes or even Elder fans per se, but that there is some manner of math being done here toward a unique enough effect in this sub-genre space and it heavily characterizes the experience as one steps deeper-in.

“Corporeal Anathema” is the breaking of the waves, the piece to flood outward into Side B and stir ‘Substrate Haruspex‘ through its peaking layered intrigue. The structure of the second half of the album is equal to the first in that both sides feature two longer pieces each wherein the first piece is framed by gestural, repetitious footwork and the second detangles in busier response. In this sense “Divination of Simulacra” and “Corporeal Anathema” act in similar ways, feature similar methods and square out the full experience. “Rending of Dyadic Convolution” offers an unraveling response much in the same way “Resonance of the Concentric” had, a great knotted peak where Velnias are at their most lustrous, light-bearing high without breaking any relation to the larger thread. The total effect of the full listen is balanced between dramatic post-metallic building muse and loosely tangled, sometimes vexing upward-flow.

Sitting with ‘Substrate Haruspex‘ numerous times began to resemble witness of seasonal turn, rapid conflict between elements, pressurized changes in the open air and the spaciously shot, plodding upward atmospheric clashing available to any given moment is probably the biggest boon available to Velnias‘ work herein. Meticulously edited, evocative lyrics highlight the experience alongside a strong sense of visual design and this goes a long way toward welcoming the existing fan back into this latest mounding of modern atmospheric rock and metal ideas. Though I don’t expect this album to convince folks seeking serrated and violent works it should impress seekers of atmospheric metal of all types. I’d particularly appreciated the stoic expressivity available to these occasionally challenging, enveloped rhythms and how the storms conjured resolve in steadily rippling waves. A high recommendation.

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