The various listens I had over the previous week. This is a special week celebrating Black Metal releases from the past month that were interesting and missed from the previous rounds of listens.
Fyrgast-As Darkness Swept the Land (76/100)
The first-ever release from the Swedish one-man Black Metal effort. Cold, buzzing riffing with simplistic patterns, melancholic atmospheric keyboards, and frantic blasting sections that give way to steady mid-tempo gallops plodding along with the simple guitar-lines. While staying in this pattern, the mid-tempo arrangements offer solid rhythms if lacking in the kind of dynamic energy brought forth by the switch into more upbeat patterns as the blasting drums feature tons of solid foundations for the tremolo riffing to emerge in the arrangements that enhance the high-speed rhythms present. The second half presents more opportunities for these arrangements to appear with lengthier running times and more prominent change-ups which makes for a more engaging experience.
Ashen Wings-Of Plagues and Ash (93/100)
The debut effort from the Massachusetts-based Black/Death Metallers. Fiery tremolo riffing, frantic blastbeats, and a steady charge through up-tempo gallops allow this one to focus on controlled bursts of frenzied arrangements. Offering thick rhythms and brimstone-accented tremolo patterns with pummeling drumming and furious blasting as the main attack pattern keeps this one tight and aggressive for the most part, generating enough of a steady base to bring in a solid melodic undercurrent when they appear. Slowing the tempo to sprawling arrangements with sparkling tremolo accents at sporadic sections here serves as the perfect melodic buffer against the fury generated elsewhere here, overall making this a generally dynamic if only slightly formulaic affair.
Yaotzin-Artificum Dei Luciferi (90/100)
The third release from the Dutch old-school Black Metal veterans. Freezing tremolo riffing, steady galloping rhythms, and a tight rhythm section with a blasting old-school tempo in the colder arrangements found here. With steady drumming propelling this along at a mixture of galloping mid-tempo arrangements and the occasional sparkling tremolo pattern to accent the frosty atmosphere present, it serves as the perfect function for the more chaotic outbursts to be that much more dynamic with the frantic tremolo rhythms coming off with much more of an impactful attack against these aspects. Charging along at a longer running time than the shorter thumping sections, these fiery sections are a far more enjoyable balance where the steady old-school patterns and chaotic arrangements bring about a generally enjoyable mixture of elements that leave a solid impression overall.
Arkenstone (Port)-My Own Blasphemy (72/100)
The third release from the Portuguese Black Metal act under the name. Furious, raging riff-work, flaying raw rhythms, and pounding drums collide in a steady, one-dimensional attack full of straightforward and unyielding elements. With the guitars buzzing through furious tremolo patterns alongside steady, pounding drums and augmented with the raw atmospheric production, the touch is decidedly old-school in appearance with less jangly rhythms due to the straightforward structure. The few change-ups to this come from an odd folk-infused rhythm of melodic accent that offers a naturalistic touch to the music. Given the raw approach, the discordant vocals fit in with the folkier atmosphere and style but really seems at odds against the raging Black Metal elsewhere as the overall effect is indecipherable wailing than darkly ominous shrieks which is the biggest drawback overall.
Spectral Dance-Crusaders of the Void (68/100)
The fourth full-length from the Canadian one-man Black Metal act. Cyclical, swirling riffing, steady drumming, and buzzing raw bass-lines offer a restrained and fairly one-dimensional approach for the most part. The simplistic nature of the rhythms is restrained to simplistic and atmospheric droning arrangements that merely plod along at lethargic and somewhat mid-tempo paces without much in the way of deviation or structural change. This leads into the general attitude here where the simplistic formula and style makes this feel like a lifeless and lackluster charge where the lengthier arrangements cause it to rattle on without any direction. The fire and energy featured in the shortest track is the main source of light in the series of droning patterns and tortured howls for the vocals, making it the most impressive and dynamic effort amongst the capable if overly generic offerings elsewhere here.
Furis Ignis-Decapitate the Aging World (89/100)
The first release from the German Black Metal newcomers. Frantic charging gallops, relentless drum-work, and steady straightforward rhythms propel this along for the most part at rather steady patterns. Keeping the arrangements somewhat more simplistic allows the buzzing riffs to keep this charging along with straightforward and undemanding styles while letting the use of fiery tremolo patterns to buffer these arrangements in a melodic fashion. Even the slower sprawling sections with ethereal keyboards in the background that pop up sporadically feature as slight melodic accents to the mainly up-tempo rhythms present here as the lengthy running times allow for steady swirling tremolo patterns. The last two tracks are somewhat at odds with this as they're condensed and not as dynamic structurally as the previous tracks but they still generate a lot to like overall.
Dark Triumph (Bra)-Black Chaos Legions (70/100)
The first release from the one-man Brazilian Symphonic Black Metal act. Steady mid-tempo rhythms, constant blastbeats, and dark ornate keyboards offer a straightforward, simplistic charge that props this up rather nicely if quite predictably. The buzzing riffs-work sets the mood with the occasional tremolo rhythm to offer a slight melodic accent in the sluggish to the mid-tempo realm, the blasting drum-work sets the intensity throughout and the keys come in offering dark and ominous rhythms that become the focal point here. With the simplistic arrangements and raw production making for a somewhat easy-to-predict and unyielding style here, this ends up being less interesting as time goes on simply due to being able to see where it's going rather easily and keeping the surprised to a minimum, especially with compact structures for the style and making the professional approach what keeps it going.
Grawdeth-The Phantom of the Forgotten Vale (87/100)
The debut offering from the one-man Swedish Melodic Black Metal effort. Tight, steady riffing, solid drum-work, and effective plodding tempos keep this clean and rumbling forward in a heavy, lumbering charge. The rhythm section being tight and solid allows for the sparkling melodic harmonies to bounce off the rumbling setup established as the generally straightforward approach keeps everything grounded in the same overall pattern. As well, the lengthy running times allow for some solid variations on rhythms included here from plodding chugging, sprawling riff-work, and lethargic arrangements with heavy keyboards shimmering in the background to offset the heavier rhythms. This creates a highly immersive and effective atmosphere that feels like a slough with so many tracks being as long as they are which does affect the enjoyment here being so much of a commitment however worth it this is.
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