Vials Of Wrath: Remnants For Remembrance | The End Of A Story
(2025 – Vision Of God Records)
Unfortunately, that’s the way it is. This is the final chapter of a long story that began in 2011 and features Dempsey “DC” Mills as the sole and absolute protagonist of this long journey with Vials Of Wrath, a project that, by its own decision, is coming to an end.
Thus, “Remnants For Remembrance” is not only the final album of this wonderful project called Vials Of Wrath, but also the last release to be issued under that name, bringing to a close a long journey that has always centered on extreme music and has undergone a varied evolution over the years, from its beginnings, filled with all the fury and darkness of Black/Death Metal, to this truly memorable finale—which, in our opinion, stands as a fitting and memorable conclusion.
It’s true, Vials Of Wrath is one of those projects (among so many) centered around a single member; in this case, the aforementioned Dempsey “DC” Mills, who handles all vocals and instruments, with the sole exception of Derek Corzine (Burial Extraction/Testimony Of Apocalypse), who contributes guitars and solos on two tracks on this album. The rest is all the work of Mills, who has put together quite the album.
It’s hard to believe. Listening to “Remnants For Remembrance”, I’m tempted to think, “Is this project really coming to an end?” It’s been a long time since I’ve heard an album so full of sublime melodies, varied moods, and composition so close to perfection. It’s clear that Vials Of Wrath’s finale had to arrive in a masterful way—and it certainly does.
Beautiful, atmospheric guitar and string arrangements are just the beginning of a one-way journey that kicks off with “The White Stag”, which welcomes us into a different world. With a wall of dense guitars combined with atmospheric and somewhat sweet melodies—contrasted by the guttural vocals of Dempsey “DC” Mills—the track in question reveals its magnificence set to music, and extreme, of course.
“Seed Of The Black Oath” continues in the same vein but with a much calmer tempo, built on dense guitars combined with the orchestration for which Vials Of Wrath is known—a blend of Extreme, Gothic, Doom, and Death Metal, with a mastery of timing and melodies that ranks among the best we’ve heard in recent times.
And what can be said about “Branches Of The Black Oak”, which in a way follows the same theme as the previous track? Its riffs are dark and heavy, and the overall atmosphere—with its relentless blast beats—ultimately builds a powerful track; “Abram’s Creek” paints a different landscape, revealing itself—with a keyboard intro and a gentle melody—as a sort of interlude that sets the stage for what follows.
And what follows is “Baptized In Amber Light”, a track that combines different elements in its structure, resulting in a sort of “Progressive Black Metal”? Well, it could be something like that, but what’s interesting is the way Mills presents everything Vials Of Wrath has to offer.
Another instrumental track, “Magicicada”, surprises once again with its string arrangements and orchestral undertones, serving in a way as the gateway to the final track, which stands out as the most compelling part of the album.
And make no mistake: “Forty Nine November” is among the best Vials Of Wrath had to offer, and curiously, it was saved for last—not just at the end of the album, but for posterity, if, as Dempsey Mills announced, this was indeed the final chapter of the project. Its riffs, melodies, and guitar orchestrations give the entire song that special feel and imbue everything around it with a distinct atmosphere—just as with every track on this particular album.
Is Vials Of Wrath really coming to an end? It’s hard to believe, especially since “Remnants For Remembrance” marks the high point and, in turn, the culmination of a long journey.
There’s something we love about this album, and we can’t quite put our finger on it. Perhaps it’s the overall atmosphere, or its structure and complex composition. Every song on “Remnants For Remembrance” seems to have been thought through time and again, all within the same idea and concept; but beyond that, there’s a carefully crafted atmosphere that’s sometimes hard to describe but is a joy to experience as you listen to the album over and over.
It’s true that Vials Of Wrath strays a bit from the basic, original concept of extreme music—especially when it comes to Black Metal—but when it’s done with material that borders on musical perfection, it’s worth crossing over to the other side, the one Vials Of Wrath invites us to explore with an album brimming with inspiration and, without a doubt, a journey into the depths of the soul.
Everything you hear on “Remnants For Remembrance” was created, recorded, and produced by its sole member, the aforementioned Dempsey W. Mills, between October 2023 and June 2025 at Fallen Oak Recording Studios; it was mastered by Miah Lajeunesse at “The Sound Lair”, the only part of the process Mills did not handle himself. The result of the mix and the final sound is in keeping with the album’s vision; one might even say it borders on excellence, as it successfully achieves the goal of immersing us in a dark and atmospheric sound throughout every track on the album.
And that’s not all—the visual design is another integral part of the whole, and it’s nothing short of top-notch, starting with a cover that immediately immerses us in the album’s overall atmosphere, through to the interior of the booklet, which features several fitting illustrations alongside the song lyrics—all presented with true excellence.
One noteworthy detail about “Remnants For Remembrance” is that it has been released not only on CD (like the version we have here) but also on vinyl and cassette tape—true to the old school—which deserves praise for both Demspey W. Mills and the label for such a bold decision!
The long history of Vials Of Wrath ends here. “Remnants For Remembrance” is the final chapter—a conclusion undoubtedly worth remembering—but it also serves as a great excuse to seek out and listen to the project’s other releases, which are certainly worth checking out. As for this album, it undoubtedly reflects, in its broadest sense, everything that Vials Of Wrath has offered over the years, leaving us with nothing but a bitter taste knowing that this marks the end of the project. There will surely be new things to come in the future from Dempsey W. Mills, but Vials Of Wrath will undoubtedly become not only a cult project but also a legend—one of those that sometimes remain hidden, but for which there will always be some madmen like us who will give it the recognition it deserves.
Below, we’ve included one of the tracks from “Remnants For Remembrance”—specifically, “Seed Of The Black Oak”—as well as information on how to get this album in physical format (which is always recommended), along with Vials Of Wrath’s social media links…
https://www.extremerecords.com.br/produtos/vials-of-wrath-remnants-for-remembrance-1vyc5
https://www.facebook.com/VialsOfWrath
https://www.instagram.com/vialsofwrath
