New Music Review: PALINDRONES ‘Chapter 2: The Slender Blade’

PALINDRONES 'Chapter 2 The Slender Blade' - COVER PHOTO

Rating: 9 / 10 Stars

PALINDRONES is: Karen (vocals/synth), Jamie (synth/percussion/electronics/vocals)

REVIEW – Following the 2023 release of Chapter One: With Fearful Velocity, PALINDRONES returns with Chapter Two: The Slender Blade, a richly layered and emotionally immersive dark electronic opus. Picking up the thread of their mythic sci-fi narrative, this latest installment explores the depths of humanity’s spiritual terrain—fear, discovery, connection, and ultimately transcendence. The result is a shimmering and cathartic sonic journey that builds on their signature style of dreamy synthpop infused with industrial pulse and esoteric ambiance.

Opening with “Sunspot”, the record’s intro sets a meditative tone with sparse textures and celestial ambiance that slowly morph into something more ominous. The transition into “Kryne Lamiya” is seamless—lush synth lines and hypnotic vocal phrasing blend to form a vivid, neon-drenched dreamscape. By “Abraxas”, the pulse intensifies; here, the duo delivers a compact, hook-heavy track driven by heavy beats and eerie tension.

“Azathoth” leans into the group’s darker industrial leanings with grinding synths and cryptic vocal mantras, followed by “The Dark Forest”, a haunting, minimalist track full of shadowy grooves and whispered dread. The counterpoint to this arrives with “The Light Forest”, a slow-burning and euphoric piece drenched in melodic warmth and cinematic grandeur—a reminder that even in darkness, illumination is possible.

The title track “Suil Nan Diathan (The Slender Blade)” is a standout, offering an almost ritualistic energy. With hypnotic rhythm patterns and emotionally charged vocals, it captures the essence of the album’s central theme: the cutting tension between unity and isolation. The previously released single “Animus” follows, weaving harsh industrial textures with a beat-driven chorus that balances power and elegance.

Closing track “Resonance Factor” is a sprawling five-minute voyage through sonic decay and rebirth—gritty, expansive, and deeply human. The album ends not with resolution, but a sense of continued searching, echoing the project’s mantra: The two become the many become the one.

With The Slender Blade, PALINDRONES continue to evolve their vision. Rooted in the London DIY punk scene but thriving in a space between trance club intensity and rock gig fervor, they deliver a conceptually deep and musically bold record. Karen’s haunting vocals and Jamie’s intricate production are not just complementary—they are symbiotic.

This album is more than a collection of songs; it’s a conceptual experience—one that explores the outer limits of human emotion, universal consciousness, and sonic storytelling. Chapter Two: The Slender Blade doesn’t just continue the narrative; it elevates it.