Pyre of Ash - Scattered Toward The Glens
(https://pyreofash.bandcamp.com/album/scattered-toward-the-glens)
It's too soon to fully understand what the legacy of maximalist post-black metal à la Panopticon will be for the genre, but the dynamism of projects like Pyre of Ash gives me a lot of hope. Pyre of Ash layers unrelenting riffs and drums, melancholy synths and strings, and visceral, emotional screams on "Scattered Toward The Glens," creating a sound that's both atmospheric and deeply personal. The subject matter, the death of a father, is perfectly complimented by the song's bleak melodies and sense of isolation. It's really a shame this release is just one song, because Pyre of Ash can clearly craft excellent and evocative post-black soundscapes and I'd love to hear more from him.
Highly Recommended.
Moonspawn - Parasite Dimension
(https://moonspawn.bandcamp.com/album/parasite-dimension)
Poland has been at the top of the black metal world for the past year or so, with great releases from bands like Batushka, Blaze of Perdition, Outre, and Mgła, and when a scene thrives at the top, that creativity and energy tends to trickle down into the underground ranks. Moonspawn was formed in the middle of the Polish black metal Renaissance, but the band doesn't seem interested in aping the dynamic, crisp style of the movement's big names. Instead, Moonspawn crafts walls of dissonant darkness with a slightly industrial flavor. There's a clear Burzum influence here, with synth lines occasionally piercing through the cacophony to form a melody. The riffs are simple, noisy, and repetitive. but work with the band's loud and raw style. "V," the longest track on the album, is one of the strongest, highlighting the best elements of the band.
Recommended.
I'll hopefully have a new full-length review coming out in the next couple days. Also, I'll be embedding tracks with reviews from now on so you can judge the music for yourself.
(https://pyreofash.bandcamp.com/album/scattered-toward-the-glens)
It's too soon to fully understand what the legacy of maximalist post-black metal à la Panopticon will be for the genre, but the dynamism of projects like Pyre of Ash gives me a lot of hope. Pyre of Ash layers unrelenting riffs and drums, melancholy synths and strings, and visceral, emotional screams on "Scattered Toward The Glens," creating a sound that's both atmospheric and deeply personal. The subject matter, the death of a father, is perfectly complimented by the song's bleak melodies and sense of isolation. It's really a shame this release is just one song, because Pyre of Ash can clearly craft excellent and evocative post-black soundscapes and I'd love to hear more from him.
Highly Recommended.
Moonspawn - Parasite Dimension
(https://moonspawn.bandcamp.com/album/parasite-dimension)
Poland has been at the top of the black metal world for the past year or so, with great releases from bands like Batushka, Blaze of Perdition, Outre, and Mgła, and when a scene thrives at the top, that creativity and energy tends to trickle down into the underground ranks. Moonspawn was formed in the middle of the Polish black metal Renaissance, but the band doesn't seem interested in aping the dynamic, crisp style of the movement's big names. Instead, Moonspawn crafts walls of dissonant darkness with a slightly industrial flavor. There's a clear Burzum influence here, with synth lines occasionally piercing through the cacophony to form a melody. The riffs are simple, noisy, and repetitive. but work with the band's loud and raw style. "V," the longest track on the album, is one of the strongest, highlighting the best elements of the band.
Recommended.
I'll hopefully have a new full-length review coming out in the next couple days. Also, I'll be embedding tracks with reviews from now on so you can judge the music for yourself.
