Ghost Witch - demo
(http://ghostwitchdoom.bandcamp.com/album/demo)
Beginning your first demo with an ominous rumble is pretty ballsy, but for Ghost Witch it works brilliantly. By the time the heavy riffs kick in on "Lunar Hymn," the anticipation is at the breaking point, and the soaring, distant vocals make it clear exactly what Ghost Witch are up to. This is beautiful doom, the kind made famous in recent years by Windhand or Pallbearer. The wonderful tension between the ethereal vocals and the stomping, booming guitar riffs makes this style of doom work, and Ghost Witch maintain that tension masterfully throughout this frustratingly short demo. Somebody sign this California doom foursome. We need more of this stuff.
Highly Recommended.
Witte Wieven - Silhouettes of an Imprisoned Mind
(http://wittewieven.bandcamp.com/album/silhouettes-of-an-imprisoned-mind)
Female-fronted North Sea black metal is apparently a thing now. Blame Myrkur. Actually, thank her. The more bands that jump on the Myrkur-pastiche bandwagon (as Witte Wieven clearly have), the better. Ethereal female choral vocals and atmospheric black metal was a union long overdue, and the more bands that flesh out that idea the better.
Witte Wieven take a grimmer and darker approach to Myrkur's musical writing prompt. There's more traditional black metal riffing and less beautiful melodies on tracks like "Faces of Unreality" and "Silhouettes of an Imprisoned Mind." Those who felt Myrkur's debut wasn't grim enough will probably like Witte Wieven better, but those of us who felt that M worked best when the folk and black metal elements were equal partners will probably find Silhouettes of an Imprisoned Mind a little uninspiring at times. Average black metal combined with a good gimmick can make a great black metal record, but Witte Wieven don't use their gimmick to its full potential. However, it's a interesting enough debut, and scratches at a musical itch it's usually hard to remedy.
Recommended.
Elagabalus - _
(http://elagabalus.bandcamp.com/album/-)
To call Elagabalus even experimental black metal doesn't do this Baltimore duo justice. On this unpronounceable EP, Elagabalus play a confused jumble of black metal, progressive metal, hardcore, sludge, and experimental metal, complete with the requisite tempo shuffles, style shifts, and dissonant riffs. Oh, and no guitars. "They Know Nothing Else" alternates doomy plodding and manic blast beats, while "Recede in Light" and "Pure Light Society" throw synth solos into an already cacophonous mix of riffs and shouts. _ is punkier than I like my metal, but the band's aggressive tone fits their frantic, transgressive style, and its rare that an EP feels this raw and lively.
Recommended.
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