BUTTERFLY TEMPLE recorded the album "Following the Sun" in a changed lineup once again, or more precisely, a reduced one. Long before the disc's release, Alexei Mironov left the band, and to everyone's surprise, Abrey took on all the vocal duties himself -- whereas once three members sang at the group's concerts, now there was just one. For a while, many skeptics seriously doubted that Abrey could handle growling vocals; however, here we have yet another release from the band, in whose booklet it is written in black on beige: "Abrey -- vocals, acoustic guitar, percussion."
Let me say right away: the album is the most mature and serious work out of everything we have ever heard from BUTTERFLY TEMPLE. The lightness of sound, the somewhat simplistic melodicism -- they are gone, as are the attempts to artificially make the sound heavier and more aggressive, which we heard on the previous album. The music is simply more solemn and grandiose than ever. From a stylistic standpoint, there are elements of heavy, melodic death, even power in places, while pagan remains perhaps only in the lyrics. Vocal overdubs are virtually absent; the structure of the compositions is standardized by alternating clean and growled vocal parts. Abrey has a very distinctive growl -- he sort of ominously whispers the lyrics. As for the clean vocal parts, they are impeccable as always. What I have said above does not negate the fact that the music contains strikingly beautiful moments: the instrumental break in the third track "Vedas of Spring," featuring guitar, viola, violin, flute, and keyboards soloing one after another, is extraordinarily melodic, and the combinations of these instruments sound simply amazing. An equally stunning instrumental section, but built around acoustic guitar, can be heard in "A Moment of Freedom." The album may seem overly dark and bleak. Indeed, there has never been a more tense atmosphere in the band's entire body of work. The classical instruments only intensify this effect. In summary -- a brilliant work, executed at the highest level in every respect, which, let us be honest, is a great rarity for the domestic metal scene.