Black metal – Page 170 – Wonderbox Metal

Enthroned – Sovereigns (Review)

Enthroned are a veteran Belgian Black Metal band that need little introduction; this is their 10th album.

It opens with a massive ominous intro. Normally I’m against pointless intros as they usually serve little purpose, but this one is compelling and the horns sound immense; it sets the scene well for the approaching carnage.

It takes time to build up to a fast tempo; instead it starts slowly and ritualistically, taking advantage of mood and atmosphere. Once sated however, Hell is then unleashed and the band rip forth with scorching Satanic Black Metal.

For a band who are so well established and have so many releases there is still a hunger at work here and it comes across in the songs.

Some of the riffs and melodies they use are extremely tasty and designed to evoke feelings of almost tense uneasiness. Extra effects, horns, etc. further add to the mood and Enthroned show themselves to be on the top of their game. Just listen to the start of Lamp of Invisible Lights for example. I mean come on! Other bands just aren’t trying by comparison. The album is full of moments like these.

The band have an evolved sense of dynamics and the songwriting on this release is very enjoyable. They appear to have developed an aura of corruption and awe-filled terror for this album. It reminds me of the recent masterpiece by Corpsessed, only filtered through a razor-sharp Black Metal lens.

The band explore a variety of interesting ideas and songs structures within the confines of their chosen genre. This is not an album that sounds repetitive, and even features that rarest of things – the, (whisper it!), Black Metal guitar solo.

Enthroned appear to just be improving with age. This is a brilliant album and a must for all fans of Extreme Metal. I really can’t say enough good things about Sovereigns; this is exactly what I want from Black Metal in 2014.

Neglektum – Blasphemer (Review)

Neglektum are from Sweden and play Satanic Black Metal. This is their début album.

This is dark and evil Black Metal with an icy sound and Devilish intentions. Their sound is distinctly raw and underground, but it’s a strong one nonetheless. For me the weakest link of a lot of bands who play this style of Black Metal is the drum sound as it usually comes across as really feeble. Pleasingly Neglektum have avoided this and the drums have a clear, forceful presence.

The vocals are mainly high and raspy, with the singer howling out litanies to dark powers and praises to evil in the way that Black Metal bands frequently do. It’s done well and no-one can doubt the obvious enthusiasm and passion that is emitted. He also tries his hand at some cleaner vocals occasionally and these aren’t half bad either.

The songs are quality songs that vary in speed and tempo depending on the mood. When playing faster they have an aggressive presence that is propelled by the drums and harsh screaming. The slower sections have lurking feelings of doom and dismay that seem to be bubbling just beneath the frozen layers of guitars attempting to break through.

The guitars are adept at radiating cold; they are suitably varied and hold attention throughout. The bass is even audible and makes a worthwhile contribution to the cause. Sinister melodies and infernal harmonies infect the guitar playing and really do a lot to add depth to the compositions.

Neglektum have successfully taken the standard Black Metal template and used it to create a monster of an album. Anyone who thinks that Black Metal has grown stale and needs frills, experimentation or dilution with other genres to be relevant or sound good needs to hear Neglektum.

Are you a Black Metal fan? Then get Blasphemer.

Akrotheism – Behold the Son of Plagues (Review)

This is the début album by Greek Black Metallers Akrotheism.

For their introductory track Sepsis Ex Nihilo Akrotheism show that they have the standard slithering, creepy guitar tone down to rights, but add to this with all manner of Hellish noises and effects. After this we have hyperblast Black Metal with maniacal vocals that sound straight out of a nightmare.

The singer alternates between ultra-high pitch screeches and deeper Blackened bellowing. The juxtaposition works wonders and the aggression is ramped up to 11.

The music is largely presented at breakneck speeds and is surprisingly atmospheric in places, aided as it is by a healthy dark melodicism and subtler highlights in their arsenal of grim delights.

Taking the most aggressive parts of the razor sharp delivery of the best of the mid-90’s Black Metal elite, Akrotheism combine elements of Emperor, Gehenna and Cradle of Filth to produce Behold the Son of Plagues. Second wave bands such as these have a special place in my heart and Akrotheism have produced an album that works wonders with these base influences.

Black Metal these days seems to mostly consist of the ultra-cold and minimal variety, or highly symphonic, or off exploring pastures new and only use Black Metal as their starting point; bands that combine aggression with atmosphere in a non-symphonic way appear to be quite few and far between, which is another reason that Akrotheism are so damn good.

An exceptional album, especially for a début. Akrotheism play a form of Black Metal that makes me recall past glories with a nostalgic fondness, but that also allows me to look forward to the future with a content heart as I know that the style is in good hands. Top work.

Primalfrost – Prosperous Visions (Review)

Primalfrost are from Canada and play Melodic Black Metal with influences from Power Metal.

An extravagant intro heralds in the very textured and multi-layered Metallic sound that the band have. Razor sharp Melodic Black Metal sounds combine with larger-than life orchestration and enough solos to make any Power Metal band blush.

The musicianship in general is flawless, whether it’s the opulent leads, the spiky riffs, the solid drums or the symphonic keyboards.

The vocals for the most part are high pitched rasps straight out of the Black Metal handbook. These are occasionally offset by deeper grunts and heroic cleans that add further flavour to an already tasty meal.

The songs are highly accomplished and there are plenty of ideas at hand to stop things becoming dull. The songs each offer something slightly different, but all built around the central core of the band. We even get an epic 14:00 track that serves as the album’s centrepiece and is an expertly executed slab of Metal.

Prosperous Visions is 55 minutes of prime-time Melodic Black Metal. If you want the epic, fantastical grandeur of Power Metal with the rougher, more aggressive delivery of Black Metal then this is for you. An ambitious album and well worth adding to your collection. May they prosper for many years to come.

Get it here: http://primalfrost1.bandcamp.com/releases

Dark Man Shadow – Victims of Negligence (Review)

German band Dark Man Shadow have released their third full length album of Symphonic Black Metal.

This is well-produced slick music with varied vocals and orchestration aplenty.

The male vocals alternate between growls and semi-cleans, with the latter sounding particularly gratifying. These are usually interspersed with melodic/operatic female vocals.

The music has a pleasantly aggressive core with added keys and ornamentation played over the top of it. There is a bit of a Death Metal influence to some of the riffs as well, meaning that the guitars sound a bit more muscular than a lot of bands of this ilk. The band is still largely playing in the Symphonic Black Metal genre and Gothic Metal ostentation abounds, but they sound more solid and heavy than similar bands. Think more Atrocity than Leaves’ Eyes, for the most part at least.

If you’re in the mood for it this album fulfils your Symphonic Metal needs. Have a listen.

The Committee – Power Through Unity (Review)

This is the first album by international collective The Committee.

This is Black Metal which is bleakly atmospheric and retains this feeling throughout the album. The guitars are powered by a darkly melodic undercurrent, with the central riffs seemingly constructed of continuous rolling rhythms, a feeling further enhanced by the drums.

The tracks are all between 7:01 and 9:20 in length which means that they all take the time to have their mystique flow freely and allow the listener to become absorbed in the songs.

The vocals are typical Black Metal fare but that’s not to say anything bad about them; they are handled competently and the voice fits the music as it melds with the songs while they speed by. The lyrics deal with historical events; the band themselves have described each song and what it’s about here.

For an album that is comprised of disparate members spread across multiple countries this is coherent and well-made. The songs are enjoyable, Immortal-inspired, double-bass-powered gallops through bloodied history.

Listen to the band here.

Teloch Vovin – I (Review)

US group Teloch Vovin play Black Metal with a mystical, esoteric feel and full of black magic.

Here we have 8 arcane hymns to who-knows-what, starting with the impenetrably titled 12/21/2012–1+2+2+1+2+0+1+2=11 (Including A Hymn to Apophis) which is as much 70’s Prog/Psychedelia as it is Black Metal.

The sound is atrocious, really bad, although presumably this was the intent. It sounds like it was recorded in a bucket in the early nineties.

Once you look past the dire sound you have some interesting Black Metal full of occult themes and references, sung with passion and played with intent.

The poor mixing and bad quality sound will put almost everyone off though, even those who are quite comfortable with a lo-fi Black Metal release will likely quail at this.

Good if you can take it.

Check it out here – https://soundcloud.com/earsplit/sets/teloch-vovin-i

Persekutor – Power Frost (Review)

This is a short EP by Romanian Black Metallers Persekutor.

And what a striking cover they’ve chosen! Not what you would necessarily equate with such underground Black Metal but kudos to them for avoiding the usual clichés.

The two tracks on offer here are short and straight into the action with some fuzzy Black Metal straight from the dark, dank underworld.

This is Old-School Black Metal and the first track Power Frost may be less than three minutes long but immediately grabs you with a strong guitar riff and the whisper-rasped vocals. It’s masterful display of rhythm and mood is over all too quickly though.

Second song The Twitching Hour has the same rawness of delivery as the first and seems just as quickly over, (although it’s a whopping 15 seconds longer!). A quality riff leads the way with the drums providing a simple backdrop. The vocals are raspier on this song but keep the same sense of rhythm and catchiness.

A solid EP that is far too short and mainly serves to whet the appetite for more. Hopefully the band will summon up a full length at some point in the near future and we can all bask in its glory. Hail!

Von – Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves (Review)

Veteran US Black Metal band Von return with their new full length album.

The darkness opens with a rumbling, brooding menace and sustains this feeling of malevolence and tension throughout the entire album.

Von ratchet up the pressure using their moody approach to atmosphere well; even when they put their foot on the accelerator the taut environment just keeps getting tighter.

These 9 tracks are Von’s attempt to create a bleak, disheartening experience for the listener; to take them on a Blackened trip to regions uncharted. The songs transport and transform, and once experienced no-one is the same again.

The vocals are Hellish emanations straight from the blackest abyss. Less singing and more arcane belchings of pure misanthropy.

Von have unleashed 54 minutes of darkened art, concentrating on twisted melodies and demonic auras to spread their uncompromising gospel. It won’t be to everyone’s taste of course but what art ever is?

Forlorn Path – Man’s Last Portrait (Review)

This is the début album from US Melodic Doom/Black/Death Metallers Forlorn Path.

For a début this is well-written, ambitious and implemented with a skill a lot of bands would envy.

Melodic and orchastrated, yet still having an intensity born of pure Metal this is more aggressive and outright better than I was expecting. From the name and album cover I thought I would be hearing a second-rate Gothic Death Metal Paradise Lost clone, but thankfully my hasty pre-judgement was incorrect, and instead we get epic, expansive, symphonic and melodic Blackened Doom of the highest quality.

At just over an hour in length a lot of passion and work has gone into this album to create a journey that you can get your teeth into.

The vocals alternate between a Black Metal rasp and an ultra-deep growl that is just a pure pleasure to experience.

The forlorn atmosphere and rich melodic melancholy combined with an more aggressive assault than a lot of bands of this genre attempt means that the album always entertains and for me is up there with recent melodic Metal greats like Amiensus.

A refreshing and surprising album; I’ve had my expectations completely surpassed and it’s an abject lesson to me that you can’t judge a band by their name or their artwork. What matters, all that matters, is what they sound like, and Forlorn Path sound very good indeed. Highly recommended.