Raw Black Metal – Page 13 – Wonderbox Metal

Salvaticus – Hidden Manna (Review)

US Black Metal band Salvaticus have just released their début album Hidden Manna.

The first thing that strikes me about Salvaticus is their raw sound that actually adds to the power of the songs rather than detracts from them. It’s raw in an underground way yet still strong enough not to sound weak or low quality. It somehow manages to capture the barbarity necessary for the heavier bits whilst remaining clear enough for the lighter ones. Either way, you can always hear and appreciate everything that’s gong on.

And what is going on? Quite a lot actually. This is an interesting brand of Black Metal that explores the state of the genre in 2014 and takes from multiple incarnations of the style to suit the vision of the band.

The songs are nature inspired/influenced and although based on the second wave of Black Metal there are elements of other sub-styles in their songs as well, the most notable being a combination of the Cascadian style and a strong Post-Metal feeling in places.

Coming across as a rougher version, (in a good way), of bands like Enslaved and Entropia, Salvaticus have hit upon a great formula for their sound.

The four songs here are epic in scope and pulled off due to the obvious talent and songwriting skills of the band. The album is full of powerful riffs, ideas, melodies and dark feelings.

Albums like this are very easy to get lost in. Listen to Salvaticus. Now.

Leather Chalice – Luna (Review)

Leather Chalice are from the US and this is their latest EP.

One track, almost 16 minutes in length; this is a heady fusion of Black Metal and Post-Hardcore.

Luna starts off with samples and noises before slowly introducing the drums and a lightly strumming guitar. Very soon we’re into shoegaze lo-fi territory with the band tentatively picking their way along to a backdrop of strange and unusual sounds.

This abruptly changes to a 70’s inspired piece that has some lovely rumbling bass and emotive guitars. The vocals also start and we’re treated to some real throat-shredding screams.

The guitars have a nice 70’s Progressive feel to them and the whole thing feels analogue and very down to earth. Lo-fi this may be but it’s rich in content and feeling with the band exploring their chosen path with passion and verve.

I love that you can hear the bass and it adds a lot to the song rather then just being under-utilised as in most bands.

As the song progresses things get more upbeat and venture closer to raw Black Metal while keeping the overarching theme of the track intact.

The quasi-Industrial sounds are brought to the fore once more two thirds of the way in before blasting off again for the final run.

I could listen to this kind of music all day. There’s something very honest and open about music which on one hand seems like it has been thrown up quickly and is only held together by the thinnest of threads, whilst on the other hand feeling timeless and like it will undoubtedly endure for a long time to come.

Take a chance, lift the Leather Chalice up and take a good hard listen.

Shrike – Sieben (Review)

This is the third album from Germany’s Black Metallers Shrike.

Shrike impress with their unusual sound which is one of a band barely held together by their enthusiasm for their art, whilst concurrently holding it together long enough to breathe life into the 5 cold, dark tracks they offer us here.

There is a real authenticity and honesty to Shrike, and the lack of spit and polish on the songs is a plus as they live and pulse with an organic vitality that just wouldn’t necessarily be there if the band worked differently.

The songs are relatively varied and full of ideas for what is essentially primitive Black Metal. It’s a tribute to the band that they successfully inject a bit of personality into the genre and do their own thing with it.

At just over 30 minutes this is an enjoyable Black Metal album that has an elusive, intangible special ingredient that keeps you returning for more.

Favourite Track: Von den Farben der Sehnsucht. A very well constructed and nuanced song.

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.

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!