black metal

Once in a while a record comes along that makes you frown, as it does not really fit into an existing category. Enter Ophidian Forest with “VotIVe”

On second view, I should have known better; the drummer of this three-person outfit is Otrebor, who also mans the kettles at green metallers Botanist – a band that only sings about vegetation and uses a dulcimer to create experimental black metal. So it should come as no surprise that Ophidian Forest doesn't exactly follow the Trve Metal handbook step-by-step.


So, how does it sound, then? Well, imagine a cross between dungeon synth (you know, cheesy synth sounds) and black metal (shrieks, blast beats, complex song structures). Throw in a couple of real ear-worm tunes, and you're pretty close. In most songs, the guitar is buried under a wall of synthesizer sounds, only occasionally managing to crawl to the surface. It still sounds cvlt, though, thanks to the lo-fi drumming and Amalgamoth's shrieking.

Almost every song has something special on offer. In opener “Nerthus”, halfway through there's what sounds like a hellish fanfare piping their way through a dense forest. Instrumental “Viredectis” has synth sounds that wouldn't be out of place on a John Carpenter soundtrack. There's banjo's, flutes, eerie vocals, you name it. And weirdly enough, it all comes together perfectly, sounding like a modern-day pagan ritual.

Ophidian Forest is a three-man band, existing since 2006. Fascinatingly, the three members (Otrebor, guitarist D, and Dutchman Amalgamoth) have never met in person, but create their music while collaborating over the internet. Pretty cyberish for a band who only sings about elder, forgotten gods. All in all, I'm quite impressed by this unique work of metal!


​Koen

drone / experimental / noise / bues

One of the artists who regularly appear on Merchants Of Air is Finnish experimentalist Junkyard Shaman, although I have to say that it has been a while now. Since the last time he was featured here, several new released have been published on bandcamp, all interesting examples of experimental music.

I picked out the blues experimentation of 'Noise Eater' for this review, since it is more than just some jamming and looping. This is a guitar based meditation, minimal but immersive. It's also best to be enjoyed with your eyes closed and your mind open.

The three track album opens with the elaborate 'The Space Between The Walls', a tune with an aptly chosen title. Slowly meandering blues guitars and repetitive loops really manage to fill a room with blissful sounds. Although I wrote 'blues', this music doesn't contain drums, vocals or anything else that might ruin the overall atmosphere. Instead, this track explores the slow, minimal regions, those where acts like Expo70 and people like Aidan Baker often stroll.

'Allegory of an Empty Room' does contain percussion but also not in a conventional manner. Here the main instrument is the sax, and an almost empty room with only some pots and pans, so to speak. The result is a strange free jazz tune that lasts for fourteen minutes. It's not my favorite but the experimental souls among us will surely enjoy this. The album ends with another nice drone ambient exploration in title track 'Noise Eater'.

In all, this is a splendid and enjoyable album and Junkyard Shaman still has a lot more up his sleeve. Take this other album, 'Dokkōdō' for example. If you want to experience sonic solitude, you might prefer this one over 'Noise Eater'. The tracks are shorter, but contain heaps of emotion. 'Syyt' is one for noise fans, a more abrasive and aggressive side of Junkyard Shaman while 'Flesh Consciousness' seems to aim at the avant garde specialists.

In any way, if you're into non-conventional music, this artist has a neat discography to explore. There is something for everyone, except maybe mumble rap and disco funk fans. My advice? Check it out, you'd be pleasantly surprised.


Serge

doom / sludge metal / drone / dark ambient

This EP, or single, is long, seventy minutes but in that timespan Boobs Of Doom takes you on a trip through your own darkest imagination. Just download the album, because this is a full length, turn the volume knob to neighbour levels and drift away. Carrie will appreciate it, Boobs Of Doom will appreciate it.

drone / ambient

death metal

gothic rock

bandcamp

drone / dark ambient

Sombre Soniks

drone / dark ambient

dark ambient / ritual / drone

death metal / black metal

drone / dark ambient

ambient / experimental / downtempo

dark rock / art rock / blackgaze

traditional / folk 

avant-garde / jazz / metal / experimental

Self-Extinction is an eccentric, but extraordinarily fantastic album by experimental jazz metal group Inhumankind, released by I, Voidhanger Records, from Italy. With nine relatively small, concise experimental tracks – Double-Headed King, Annihilation Of All Inferior Thought-Forms, Against All Odds, Citizen Qayin, Land Of The Shells, Blue Skin, Antinomic Self-Cosmogony, Self-Extinction and Eternal Sleep – this album is a great example of a genre rarely practiced or exposed nowadays, which is, more or less, conventionally described as jazz metal. Doing a fusion of several different, apparently disparate styles of music, and incorporating elements from jazz, contemporary and classical music in a very peculiar and evocative, but at the same time increasingly discreet disposition, the general artistry of Inhumankind is difficult to conceive or understand, but it’s delightful to hear and to experience. Ingratiating a colorful infusion of melodies into a gracefully splendid mosaic of textures and intonations, Self-Extinction is a horizon of opium barbiturates fully immersed in a solution of compulsory and hallucinatory caffeine, upon which a sonorous wave of curious serenity integrates your soul, to test your willingness to dive into the universe of a surprising and exponentially fascinating category of sound.

While the overall disposition of the music is simple – even ordinary by more inflictive and postmodern standards –, its somewhat fragmented nature makes each and every one of its artistic components and cells seems awkwardly impregnated with light cavities and low densities, that craves beyond the unitary dispositional structure of the music. While its curious anatomy, exceedingly impressionistic in form, saturates the epicenter of its own sonorous perimeters with the dead anxiety of its technical precision, there is a curious, but salutary consistence in between the musical notes, that makes everything quite majestic, despite the apparent simplicity that is obviously denoted throughout its notoriously subtle context. 

The quietness between the notes, and the intelligent use of silence as a musical component is quite a remarkable feature within the framework of its expansive sonorous embodiment, that amplifies the impressionistic nature of the tunes. And while there are not too much melodic variations throughout the album, it’s distinctive and deliberate harmonious predispositions are sagacious singularities, that works intelligently within the artistic concept that is generated by its inherent effect. 

While I haven’t particularly loved this album – mainly because of the genre, which failed to captivate me –, I certainly give credibility to its originality, audacity and creativity, that deserves to be highlighted and properly complimented. If you look for something very unusual to hear, and want to be surprised in a very unexpected way, you have to listen to Self-Extinction, by Inhumankind. Undoubtedly, it will be one of the most unique musical experiences you will ever have in your life.  


Wagner

ambient / post rock / black metal / doom

You might be thinking, "what a strange title for an atmospheric metal album". 'Apples' is indeed not an everyday title but it does cover the load quite well, especially if you know what lies behind it. It was an apple that made Isaac Newton discover his laws of gravity. That Isaac Newton, along with his fellow scientists Robert Hooke and Edmond Halley are being tributed here. Yes, this album is a tribute to science, but not your everyday Western science, the one that merely analizes. This album is dedicated to the spiritual aspect of science, where scholars investigate the natural world to come closer to a god, not to further distance themselves from one.

You can read all about that in the accompanying text on bandcamp. For now, let's dive into the music because that is as unusual as it is interesting. Nagaarum is an Hungarian one-man project, for this album aided by Betty V. on female vocals and Roland Szabó who does the narrations. The music is an eclectic mix of ambient, metal, post rock and noise. The latter makes up the majority of the opening track, 'Middle Ages', reminding me of acts like Gjöll or Genocide Organ. Nagaarum quite often descends into the power noise pit but for the most part he seems to be rooted in the metal scene.

'Isaac' comes up with the guitars, drums and everything else that nudges the sound towards the doom metal scene. The cold, harsh atmosphere of black metal is present as well, but mostly without the screeching vocals. Those first appear in 'Prism', a strange blackened noise rock tune that seems to be influenced by Vinterriket and The Melvins alike. 'Robert' might be one of the most black metal related tracks here, fast, relentless and driving on piercing riffs. This chaotic tune brings back memories of those old 'World Domination' compilation series by Osmose Records, but again in a headstrong and unusual manner.

Then there are the gloomy ambient passages, eerie field recordings and meandering soundscapes like 'Hermit'. These don't just function as intros or intermezzos. They complete the overall concept. 'Nullius in Verba' seamlessly follows with a deep drone and a funeral doom atmosphere before melodic doom metal once again takes over in 'Edmond'. Needless to say perhaps, but this album comes with heaps of variation. It also comes with enough atypical elements to drag this album into the avant-garde corners of the metal scene. Negură Bunget came to mind a few times, which I guess is not a bad reference.

In all, this surely is an interesting album. Fans of ambient black metal can easily trust this one to satisfy but I'm not sure who else to recommend this to. I'm not sure if die-hard black metal fans, or even doomers, will be happy with the synth passages like the militaristic 'Revelations'. But perhaps those people should give this album a chance too. It's not a perfect extreme metal record but it definitely is a unique and compelling addition to your collection. So check it out, you'd be pleasantly surprised more than a few times.


Serge

dark metal / doom / black metal / progressive

Coined as the scene's most highly anticipated new band, Khôrada quickly set high expectations for themselves. Founded by former members of legendary American bands Agalloch and Giant Squid, this new entity debuts with unusual artwork (by painter & sculptor Cedric Wentworth) and an unusual sound. Khôrada is not only a brand new start after the demise of their previous bands, it's also a way to further explore their creative capabilities. The result is quite fascinating, practically impossible to categorize and certainly a fresh sound in an already loaded alternative music scene. I can call it "dark metal" but there's more than darkness and more than metal to be found.

The album opens with 'Edeste', which is no way functions as an intro. The song immediately drags you into the vast, expansive world of Khôrada. Doom metal seems to be the main element, judging from the massive riffs and the mostly slow tempo. On the other hand, this song also shows a few black metal elements, which most headbangers will easily appreciate. Moonspell comes to mind but that reference just as easily disappears again. Traditional dark metal bands are more radio-friendly and easy digestible as this one. This one never shuns the experiment, not musically, not in the vocal efforts, never.

'Seasons Of Salt' further digs into the obscure underground, combining doom riffs with black metal riffs. For me, this track is an early highlight. Somehow the vocals here bring Serj Tankian to mind. Not that this music resembles System Of A Down, although both bands share an often unpredictable nature. 'Water Rights' is another unique piece of progressive doom rock. In some passages Fields Of The Nephilim as well as other, more obscure, goth rock bands comes to mind while other blast intense sludge doom through my speakers . Strange but definitely interesting, that's for sure.

I haven't mentioned post rock yet, a genre that is not to be ignored these days. And yes, here too some vast instrumental and atmospheric passages appear, mostly evolving in sluggish doom after a while. In that aspect, 'Glacial Cold' is another one of my favorites, thriving on elementary but infections doom riffs. At the end you can find two more epic anthems which will easily gain the attention of every fan of progressive and atmospheric music. 'Ossify' is a perfect closer, powerful yet melodic, experimental yet immersive.

'Salt' is a remarkable album, somewhat political at times since it was written under the pressure and uncertainty of the beginning of the Trump-era. Back then there was doubt, frustration, chaos and fear, elements which certainly reflect on the overall sound of this album. Yet, most of all, this is an intensely emotional piece of work, one that might just as well become a prelude of great things to come for Khôrada.


​Serge 

black metal / avant garde

Astral Necromancy is an album released on June 15, by American melodic black metal act Hoth, from Seattle. Fifty minutes long, the record has eleven tracks: Vengeance, The Living Dreams of a Dead God, The Horrid Truth, Passage into Entropy, Citadel of the Necromancer, Ad Inane Precatio, The Gathering of the Accursed Artifacts, Ascension, Journey into the Eternal Winter, The Void Between the Stars and Solitude. A fantastic, colossal and monumental album – fulfilled with primordially efficient and consistent qualities – Astral Necromancy competently allies a formidable degree of authorial creativity with rapturous doses of traditional old school black metal. A primary excellent example of melodic BM done exceedingly right, with a tremendous amount of originality, Hoth displays to its audience a very whimsical, majestic and almost perfect work, that masterly combines the vigorous energy of their sonorous art with the somber lines of a distant, yet restless universe, that sleeps quietly at the profound abysses of the melancholic human conscience.  

With great, effusive and vividly colorful guitar lines, afflictive, acute and sordid grasping vocals, prodigious harmonies and marvelously sculpted melodies – all standardized by a significantly high and impeccable production – the efficiency, the general format and the sonorous waves produced by Hoth’s music is sincerely beyond any ordinary measurements. With gloriously captivating, dense, fluctuating and effective guitar solos, a dynamic and ascendant atmosphere, a volatile placidity that moves beyond sensational rhythmic frontiers defying genre conventions and sensibilities, the sagacity and the originality present on Astral Necromancy is an elegant and mordacious surprise. Certainly, this is one of the most marvelous and graceful black metal albums ever created! 

I think there is nothing negative to be described about this work. A splendid masterpiece, that aligns a fragrant, honest and spontaneous level of creativity with the true desolate and lugubrious spirit of the genre. You feel at home, spiritually relaxed, literally, listening to this elegant, profoundly authentic and unexpected masterpiece. While virtually all the old elements of traditional black metal are there, making you feel gratefully peaceful with the warmly familiar atmosphere of the music, at the same time, there is so much innovation – that never disrupts nor alienates the hazardous structural anatomy inherent to the genre – that the genuine audacity and the effective creativity of Hoth, besides all merits, deserves to be appreciated and deeply contemplated for its entire run, and this becomes such a great pleasure, you wish the album never ends. Although the entire record is amazingly excellent, I think the ninth track, Journey into the Eternal Winter, deserves to be highlighted as one of the best.

Firmly developing and introducing components of symphonic, melodic and avant-garde metal in a purely black metal context, the effectively experimental combination of diverse elements present in the album is exceedingly successful, and is quite surprising the way they work wonderfully well together. With resonating melodies that can be quite ferocious and aggressive, but concomitantly deeply philosophical, poetic and serene, Hoth presents to its audience on Astral Necromancy a purely genuine, sensible and splendorous level of talent, that seems to be absent from the genre from quite some time. Undoubtedly, this album has all the necessary qualities to be considered a fundamental milestone in the underground scene, for the years to come. 


Wagner

avant garde / black metal

Letters From The Edge is an album by Hungarian melodic black metal band Sear Bliss, to be released on July 6th. Almost fifty one minutes long, the record has ten exceedingly energized, graceful and rapturous tracks: Crossing The Frozen River, Forbidden Doors, Seven Springs, A Mirror In The Forest, Abandoned Peaks, Haven, The Main Divide, Leaving Forever Land, At The Banks Of Lethe and Shroud. Combining rapid harmonies with amazingly melodic, smooth and philosophical overtones, the dual, but gloriously receptive nature of Sear Bliss music exposes the honest equation of their majestic authorial line of work, that showcases the originality and the colossal audacity of their style, profoundly consecrated at a dense and furiously conceived sound, that demonstrates without fear the impious veracity and relevance of their art. 

With amazing, intense and aggressive guitar lines, that sculpts the melodies like a lugubrious, but desolate razor blade that wonders throughout the vicinities of its own possibilities drawing pervasively infinite oceans of harmonies – profoundly inserted at the anatomy of flexible, but impenetrable rhythms –, the songs present in Letters From The Edge are lugubrious anthems of everlasting sagacity, marvelously aware of the vulnerabilities of the human nature, that discreetly exposes at the axis of its own creative grace the imponderable intensities of vigorously compromised musical sensibilities perfectly aligned altogether, unraveled throughout the conspicuous sonorous journey that this excellent work provides, from the very first moments until the end.  

Despite the fact that – in general lines – the song’s structures and the overall style of the group are simple, the album is built upon a solid and genuine level of artistry, that knows what traces of sentiment they want to expose. Very unconventional and surreptitiously intelligent, Letters From The Edge certainly can be classified as a major work, that wisely challenges the standards of the genre, and elevates black metal into an art category, with its more unpredictable, yet sophisticated, addition of alternative elements. 

The album is not perfect. There are some major moments of exceedingly uniform melodies, that becomes intensely monotonous, but this is not enough to do any harm or damage to the work, nor degrade its genuine artistic value. In the end, Letters From The Edge manages to be a fulfilling and thrilling album, that aggregates innovative avant-garde elements into an elegant and expansive black metal atmosphere, with incredible triumph. 

  
Wagner

alternative metal / avant-garde

A very beautiful and singular record, Unholy Lightness Summer is an album by Vardan, to be released by Moribund Records on August 10. The work is composed of three tracks, all named Unholy Lightness Summer, numbered from one to three (or you can interpret as just one track, divided into three parts). The first is about seven minutes and eighteen seconds long, the second track is the longest, having twenty one minutes and thirteen seconds in length, and the third and final track is nine minutes and forty three seconds long. A primarily instrumental ambient album that works extensively the possibilities of silence and serenity into sound, Unholy Lightness Summer is a simple, yet intelligent, audaciously experimental record, that certainly impresses by its subtlety, and amazingly genuine degree of originality. With a calm, unexpected premise close to an absurd, but primordially sculpted minimalism, Unholy Lightness Summer deserves a score for its formidable and sensational elaboration of a calm, yet afflictive atmosphere, that deliberately traps the listener into a mordacious tension, anxious to discover to what exact places the evolving path of the music will lead into. 

While the first track is more silent, calm and unambiguous – although subtlety agonizing – the second track is more anxiously provocative, dense and charmingly grotesque. With a talent to build a sordid, but profoundly pleasurable atmosphere that seems to anticipate the deepest antagonisms of the soul, the style of the sound projects a hallucinatory redemption of the senses, as Unholy Lightness Summer efficiently build invisible palaces of relaxation inside the soul, with a fantastic splendor that seems to elevate hidden sensibilities, and transpose the mind into a different state of grace. 

Although the sound seems to be ecstatic and paralyzed to a modest degree, concomitantly, it is so dynamic that you stay conscious to the fact that you’re literally travelling into a sonorous journey, that will make you appreciate the music differently, while at the same time, slowly, the most grateful sensitivities of the soul will genuinely taste the flavor of the melodies, and entirely appreciate its fantastic, overwhelming and subtle artistic beauty. 

A very interesting album, that works and creates marvelously well a cosmic atmosphere of serenity and splendor, that at the same time reenergizes the concept of its own anguish and agony at the cornerstone of its melancholic intonations, Unholy Lightness Summer can be classified as a glorious masterpiece without hesitation or fear. It’s delightful to hear it, and the poetic – astoundingly humane – lamentations that liquefy surreptitiously all the proverbial sentiments that abundantly fall from the melodies makes this intriguing and impressively genuine work exceedingly transient and unique.  

  
Wagner

ambient / experimental / noise

Krysalisound

doom / sludge metal

experimental / avant garde

drone / electronic / ambient

hardcore / crust / black metal

psychedelic rock / stoner rock

indie / alternative rock / psychedelic rock

dream pop / trip hop

dark ambient / neoclassical / dark jazz

krautrock / psychedelic rock

death metal / deathcore

rock

groove metal

Serge