After what’s felt like a very long four-year wait since 2016’s acclaimed Selves We Cannot Forgive, Black Crown Initiate stand set to release their third album, Violent Portraits of Doomed Escape, on August 7th, marking their first for Century Media Records. The Reading, PA quartet are townmates with fellow progressive death metallers Rivers of Nihil – whilst bringing their own qualities and take on the style, there’s clearly something in the water that two top-tier bands of a relatively obscure genre come from the same place. Opening track “Invitation” commences with guitarist and clean vocalist Andy Thomas singing “Fate sealed, he invites his cancer in.” It’s a powerful and intriguing beginning to the album, and very quickly demonstrates the range to Black Crown Initiate’s sound in going ...
