A paradox is a statement or situation that is ironic, seemingly contradictory, or opposed to common sense, and yet it is perhaps true. It is thought-provoking and challenging, and somehow it exposes flaws in the usual line of logical reasoning. The Arcane Insignia, a unique band that was formed in New York City by Lodro Nyima, has released “A Violent Whisper,” a ten-piece album that comprises the band’s artistic composition that depicts anguish, pleads, and everything in between. “A Violent Whisper” is a perfect representation of the paradox of an album—the title suggests a depressing and somehow darker theme, which in fact, it also appears to have a calming and uplifting vibe by the end, making this a paradoxical listening experience for the listeners too!
The album opens with a dark and mysterious vibe for an introduction. “Vagrant’s Throne” opens the curtains for the album with its acoustic guitar, cello, and violin notes, which build up the momentum as the song progresses. This song, and like all the tracks featured on this release, is a perfect showcase of how beautiful the classic and metal rock infusion can be in one song. The vocal performance is also unnerving; the screams add up to the story of the track, most especially that some of its parts express a depiction of embracing benevolence and letting it win. This is an intense introduction—very theatrical and cinematic. The touch of metal rock transformed the song into a modern and refreshing sound. This is everything that I like packed into one song—this is fire.
“Divided by Zero” comes in next. I personally thought at first that it sounded like a prayer—some kind of ritual with its hypnotic vocals punctuated by the usual great instrumentation done by the band. Now, this 9-minute goodness is not something that I’d call a simple track; it is packed with metaphorical discussions of the complexities of life and how people often react to situations, our wants, and even our desires. This track, just like all the other tracks, might need another listen or two to appreciate and dive deeper into the themes that it wants to project—and worry less, listening to it again and again amplifies the listening experience exponentially as you go on.
For this album, there is one thing that is true throughout the ten tracks that are featured on this release: all of it is consistent with its cinematic and theatrical tendencies. “Vicarious Virtues” which opens through a good combination of cello and acoustic guitar is a personal favorite. The touch of violin, cello, and acoustic music infused with rock sound into one song is just my personal thing. This track discusses metaphors about personal virtues that are dying. With its good vocals, the clear delivery of the message is present, but at times, the intense instrumentation overpowers the delivery. I guess it’s some kind of hazard when everything gets intense throughout the song.
“The Violence Within,” this track features a much gentler tone. This has to be the one that is familiar sounding, maybe because of the acoustic guitar and violin combination, which I’ve also recalled hearing in the track Your Guardian Angel by the iconic The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. The song is like a perfect representation of a boiling anger that’s waiting to be unraveled, which the track perfectly captures. “Pyramid Eyes,” on the other hand, talks about deciding which is wrong or right. Finally, “Humo de Vela” offers a calmer perspective on the song, quite the opposite of the first five tracks. It’s like all talks about the demons that we face every day. This is my type of calm—calm that is also etched on the lines of tracks like “Aurora,” “En Tinta y Sangre (Liadan),” “Chapter 4: The Eight Seals,” and “Windmills.”
A Violent Whisper by the Arcane Insignia is one helluva listening experience. It is a great album with cinematic sound and metaphorical stories. It also appears that all tracks are interconnected. Personally, I like how the songs were divided into “violent” and “whispers”; you can clearly distinguish between the scream and silence. It is an exceptional showcase of great instrumentation—cello, violin, guitar, and drums—it all worked perfectly on each track. Although many would be hesitant to listen to this album because of the average length of each track, I am confident enough to say that every second you spend on it is a worthy one—it is enjoyable, interesting, thought-provoking, and unique. It is worthy of your full attention! Check it out! “A Violent Whisper” by The Arcane Insignia! Now streaming on Spotify!
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About the Author
Tine Quirino, also known as Kristine, is a writer (frustrated one), a dreamer (serial sleeper), an INFJ (also INTP/J), a (professional) fangirl, and a good listener (‘literally and figuratively,’ she states).
She is just here, lurking somewhere, enjoying all your music. Music of any kind is still music, after all.
