Sarcoptes are a black metal band from the US. This is their début album.
This record makes me feel nostalgic. The band play a classic style of black metal that incorporates elements of the 90s symphonic style alongside a few thrashier bits here and there. It really does take me back to the early days of bands like Cradle of Filth, Emperor, Bal-Sagoth, Hecate Enthroned, Dimmu Borgir, etc.
The singer has Continue reading “Sarcoptes – Songs and Dances of Death (Review)”
Images at Twilight are an orchestral Black Metal band from Norway. This is their début album.
Featuring the same orchestral mastermind behind the stunning symphonic Death/Doom début by Abyssic, Images at Twilight is essentially a Black Metal version of this, (or the other way around, actually, as this album came first), with rich, sumptuous orchestration and classical grandness.
Enthean are from the US and this is their début album. They play Black Metal.
This is progressive, technical and symphonic Black/Death Metal. It’s a bit of a mouthful, but then this is a band who have a lot of different influences. I hear bands like Zyklon, Dissection, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Septic Flesh and Fleshgod Apocalypse in their sound.
Continue reading “Enthean – Priests of Annihilation (Review)”
Formicarius are a Black Metal band from the UK. This is their first release.
Here we have almost 12 minutes of music, made up of two originals and an Emperor cover. Formicarius’ Black Metal is Symphonic, Old-School and dark. Harking back to an early era when bands like Cradle of Filth, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir and Emperor were still young, Formicarius are attempting to herald a return to such times.
Featuring veterans of the UK Metal scene, (including the guitarist of the excellent De Profundis), this is a band who are starting out from a very strong position, so although this is only their first release it very much sounds like they have been together for a lot longer.
The songs have a streamlined darkness that flows and winds around the ostentatious keyboards like vines trying to strangle the life from something. The grim music pulses against the throat of the bright orchestration but doesn’t dampen its enthusiasm. Indeed, it seems spurned on by its antagonistic partnership to even greater heights.
One thing that was largely missing from this style back in the day was guitar solos, so I’m pleased that these make a brief appearance here. Played well, the music in general is accomplished and enjoyable. The songs are relatively simple homages to the Old-School Symphonic Black Metal style, (a bit of a mouthful), that are well-written and perfromed by people who clearly know what they’re doing.
Although there is a good helping of nostalgia with music such as this, (very much so for me), this is still a band who are doing their best to bring the style into the modern age. Admittedly, there’s only so much of this which can be done before changing the music into something else entirely, but on Lake of the Dead it’s the small touches here and there that give the band a certain edge; a short melody, a certain riff or keyboard addition…it distinguishes them as a band who are from the here and now, regardless of how old a style it is that they play and clearly love.
And the Emperor cover is fucking great, too.
12:00 minutes of quality. Get it.
Alastor Sanguinary Embryo are a Black Metal band from Costa Rica. This is their third album.
This is Melodic/Symphonic Black Metal, but not necessarily in the way you might be thinking. A lot of the time these days Symphonic Black Metal is polished, ostentatious and overblown; this is more Old-School Symphonic Black Metal, if there is such a thing. We’re back in the ancient old days of early Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, et al for this one.
The keyboards are subtle affairs, (relatively), working to add flavour to the Blackened assault rather than trying to be overly-prominent or ruling the roost, so to speak. For this kind of Black Metal this is the preferred state of things and Alastor Sanguinary Embryo never lose their dark bite because of it.
There are a variety of moods, speeds and feelings on this release, but I find that I enjoy it the most when the band are in full-on blast beat mode, with everything fast, screeching and trying to outdo everything else.
The scathing vocals, sharp guitars and understated atmospheric keyboards provide a lot of Blackened entertainment throughout this 58 minutes and I like that the blast beats are never too far away from proceedings. Also – you can actually hear the bass, which is always a plus point. But, and get this – BASS SOLO! Fuck yeah!
Ahem.
Although some of the writing could do with tightening up on occasion, this is ultimately a really good exemplar of how Symphonic Black Metal should sound if you want a good taste of what the style was originally about, rather than what it’s largely become today.
A refreshing blast from the past; it’s hard to not enjoy this release as there’s such palpable enthusiasm and passion on display here. The songs are just really enjoyable, especially if you were brought up on this kind of thing.
Check them out.
This is the début album by Indian Black Metal band Diabolus Arcanium.
This is Symphonic Black Metal that has a strong orchestral component and Classical influences. It has a cinematic feel to it in places and the band do everything they can to foster a real sense of immersion in the soundscapes that they create.
It’s easy to throw words such as majesty, grandeur and epic at Diabolus Arcanium, and all of those words are indeed fitting descriptors for their take on Black Metal. This is larger-than-life music that won’t be to everyone’s taste for that reason alone.
Symphonic Black Metal always takes me back to the mid/late 90s, it just can’t be helped. A lot of people seem to turn their noses up at the more orchestral/symphonic side of things that some Black Metal bands embrace, and to me this is a real shame. Also, with everyone seemingly concentrating on being as evil, cvlt and grim as possible these days, it’s actually relatively rare to find a band who play this style, especially when they play it well like on Path of Ascension.
The singer’s Black Metal shriek is akin to a snarling beast and he takes a traditional approach to his performance, once again reminding me of 90s Black Metal.
The orchestral sounds are varied and clever enough to never become boring, unnecessary or too overbearing. They’re written with just the right balance in mind and enhance the core of the songs while at the same time being essential to their existence. Some keyboard-enhanced bands sound like the Symphonic aspect of their music is simply tacked on as an afterthought, whereas on Path of Ascension it sounds integral and complete.
One of the main reasons it sounds so good, apart from the writing and arrangement, is it actually sounds like a full orchestra playing, rather than just some guy with a keyboard. The fact that it actually is just a guy with a keyboard is quite shocking, that’s how well-done this is.
Ultimately, this is still Black Metal, so there’s a darkened, Blackened core to the band and they keep an aggressive bite to things, even with the omnipresent orchestration. The songs walk a fine line between Blackened barbarity and Classical magnificence.
Diabolus Arcanium have produced an impressive album that’s an engaging and enjoyable listen. The songs hold the attention and ultimately they make you just want to bounce along to them, blast beats or not. And who can say fairer than that?
This is the second release from Aegrum who are an Indonesian Symphonic Black Metal band.
This is underground Black Metal with an atmospheric element characterised by the added keyboards. Coming off like something that should have been released in 1995, De Arrival is an endearing and honest paean to lost times and old glories.
The guitars are as paper thin as anything from the mists of Black Metal history but retain a dark lustre nonetheless. The Blackened melodies are sharp and provide an underpinning backdrop for the mournful keyboards.
The vocals are like solidified lightning and flash out on top of the music with evil intent.
For me, there’s a lot of nostalgic character present in a band like this, and it really does take me back to an earlier time. I have a similar emotional response to Aegrum as I do to Cosmic Infusion, which is one to savour.
This is really enjoyable. Be sure to check this out and get your hit of well-performed mid-90’s style Symphonic Black Metal.
Dysnomia are a Spanish Melodic Death Metal band and this is their début album.
Featuring a strong sound and an unexpected level of aggressiveness, Dysnomia quickly make their presence felt.
Their sound has plenty of melodic leads and solos as well as a hearty keyboard accompaniment that adds another layer to their infectious sound.
All too frequently Melodic Death Metal simply means a watered down version of Death Metal, essentially a weakened version of the original. This is not the case with Dysnomia. It’s like they’ve taken the melodic aspect of the genre, wrapped it in some keyboards and catchy songs and somehow managed to retain the savagery of the original style. This gives their sound a very fresh, energetic sheen and I’ve really enjoyed listening to this.
There is also a Black Metal influence to their sound, with the keyboards essentially meaning that they have somewhat of a Symphonic Black Metal slant sometimes. It’s more of an enhancement to their core sound though than a true Blackened Death Metal merging of the two and it plays its part in what I like about the band.
This is a top quality listen. If high octane Melodic Death Metal is your thing then Dysnomia will definitely hit the spot for you.
Unfathomed of Abyss is a one-man project from the US. This is his début album of Symphonic Black Metal.
It’s clear from the start that the brains behind this album is a very talented individual as the musicianship and songwriting is at an advanced level.
The drums are the only instrument he doesn’t perform. Rather than going the easy route and opting for a drum machine however, instead he has enlisted the considerable talents of Kevin Talley, (Suffocation, Dying Fetus, Chimaira, Misery Index, Six Feet Under, etc.), which lends the album much more presence than a mere drum machine ever could.
Symphonic Black Metal can sometimes lack bite and attack, but this is not the case here. Unfathomed of Abyss boasts an aggressive demeanour which is only enhanced by the keyboards, effects and piano additions.
Powered by the relentless drumming, the songs are lengthy and layered in thick atmospheres. Care and attention has been spent on these creations that much is clear. Strong soundscapes and expansive Blackened auras permeate everything.
There’s more to these songs than just Black metal though, as influences from Death Metal and even wider genres, (elements of Doom and Djent, for example), can be heard in some of the riffs.
The vocals run the spectrum from deep growls to the very high pitched screaming that forms the bulk of the performance.
Taking off where early Emperor left off; Arisen Upon Oblivion manages to capture a similar feeling to those early classic Black Metal albums. Mix this with a bit of Ihsahn’s solo work and Peccatum and you have an album that manages the admirable achievement of being strongly influenced by a notable Metal legend without sounding like a pale imitation.
This is an enjoyable album that won’t please everyone, but then again that was never the aim of Black Metal was it?
Imperial Conquest are from the US and play Black Metal. This is their début album.
This is upbeat and grim Black Metal with fantastic symphonic accompaniment. The Metal is hot out of the furnace and is likely to melt flesh upon contact.
The symphonic elements are very well-performed and are a highlight for me. They’re subtle enough most of the time that they become fully enmeshed with the music so that it sounds like a natural part of the band’s repertoire, yet when needed it comes out to the fore and really adds its weight to proceedings.
The symphonic effects really are a master-stroke for this band as they’re not overwrought, perfectly fit with the music and are very well delivered. Considering this part of the style usually just sounds tacked on for most bands of this ilk, having it completely engrained with the rest of the music is no mean feat. Impressive.
The songs as a whole are full of dynamics and have an epic streak to them that never becomes overblown. The music is dark and suitably Blackened, but the relentless riffs and the symphonic keyboards allow the band to work with a rich palette and each track is extremely enjoyable because of this.
The vocals are scything high-pitched screams and the album features guests from Promethean Horde. Nothing not to like here!
I’ve really enjoyed this album. It has almost the perfect ratio of beauty to ugliness, with the symphonic elements being particularly stunning, especially as they sound so damn good set against the rest of the pitch black music.
Very highly recommended. In fact, go and get this right now.
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