Written: 25th July 2024
Wizard Tattoo is the solo project of Indianapolis based multi-instrumentalist Bram the Bard. Blending a range of rock and metal genres, Wizard Tattoo aim to immerse their listeners fully in the world they create. Picking up from where 2023’s Fables of the Damned left off, Living Just For Dying is a four track EP that builds upon the direction of that album.
Beginning with the deeply evocative title track, Wizard Tattoo explore themes of nostalgia, loss and the passage of time. Chirping crickets sing in the distance and such is the style of the music, it is not difficult to imagine a resident of the old west sitting by the fireside as the song develops. Lamenting and sorrowful, Living Just For The Dying is built mainly around the beautiful interplay between acoustic guitar and cello. Wistful and plaintive, it is an intoxicating opening to the EP – the short acoustic guitar solo is utterly heartbreaking. Lyrically reflecting on a significant past relationship and a long period of emotional stagnation, the protagonist acknowledges the missed opportunities to prompt change. I slept beside the crack for many, many years / I must have crossed it a thousand times / But never turned back in fear / But, I've been living just for dying since the last time that we met.
Featuring the haunting vocals of Djinnifer, The Wizard Who Loved Me starts with two interweaving musical ideas that initially appear to be at odds with each other. Some unusual key changes vie for attention alongside an insistent, metronomic ticking until a minute in, the sound resolves into more conventional acoustic motifs. However, as a song that deals with a tale of love turned sour, the uncomfortable atmosphere returns at different moments and highlights the juxtaposition of feelings that flow through the lyrics. A short organ-like solo is followed by the first electric guitar solo of the EP, and Bram The Bard certainly understands how to wring emotion from his instruments. As the lyrics turn from the enchantment of romance to the bitterness of betrayal and the desire for revenge, they paint a vivid picture of a fantastical world where sentiments are as powerful and transformative as the magic that binds them. Now in my tower, where silence reigns / Among ancient tomes, my heart contains / I crafted a beast from the deepest sea / Sent to the wizard who left me. During the last thirty seconds, the music wanders along a more foreboding avenue and leads directly into the first notes of the progressive black metal of Tomorrow Dies.
Black metal growls and tremolo picked guitars blast into life as Tomorrow Dies begins. Before the opening lyrics descend, there is a short piece of dialogue from the 1955 film, Day The World Ended: Sometimes, I have a feeling of doom. Delving into apocalyptic themes and those touching on abandonment, ancient mythologies and the downfall of humanity, Tomorrow Dies evokes a sense of doom and inevitability. Weaving between black and progressive metal, as further clips from Day The World Ended play, the track is by far the most musically savage on the EP but never loses sight of melody within the instrumentation. The vocals – this time from Fausto Auerlius – are delivered with a passion and style that is exactly what one might expect from old school black metal.
Sanity’s Eclipse is, initially, musically similar in nature to Living Just For Dying but with a more ominous tone. Portraying the psychological decline of a once-great hero, the protagonist grapples with the erosion of their sanity as they are consumed by memories and the weight of their past. Past the half-way mark, the song evolves into something more grandiose and progressive, with a wide range of instruments joining for the finale. Such is the layering, and style of the acoustic guitar playing, that if Mike Oldfield made this sort of music, it would not be difficult to imagine him producing something of this nature.
Living Just For Dying is an interesting step for Wizard Tattoo and will appeal to a range of rock and metal fans, most likely those who will embrace the variety on offer. Ranging from folk, classic and progressive rock to metallic embellishments – most fully realised on the black metal of Tomorrow Dies – it cannot be said that Living Just For Dying is one dimensional. Less successful is the EP’s artwork. After examining the lyrics and studying the music, the rather crowded and jumbled cover art makes sense; however, the artwork alone might fail to draw in those who are unfamiliar with Wizard Tattoo as the elements appear slightly incoherent to those encountering the band for the first time. Nevertheless, those who take the time to listen to the music will find a well structured, well written and well played EP that rewards repeated listens. Lose yourself here…
Living Just For Dying is released in 26th July 2024
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