avant garde / black metal
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I was really reluctant to add the tag 'black metal' on this album and I still don't know if it's correct. However, in a way it suits fine. This is one of those albums that blatantly divides the open minded fan of bleak and dark music from the die-hard 'true' black metal worshiper. You will not find screams or blast beats. Hell, you will rarely find distorted guitars on this one. But man, if you allow yourself to get indulged in this, you're in for a awesome journey.
Pogavranjen is a Croatian band that arose in 2008. Back then, the focus clearly was on typical black metal but gradually the band started moving in different directions. With their third album, they clearly set themselves apart from the most stubborn of musical scenes. By exploring unknown regions of dark music, Pogavranjen might become the Virgin Prunes of extreme music. Let's see if I can guide you through this.
There is very little distortion, which makes the guitars sound quite jangly at times. Yet, the whole stays away from indie rock, which I regard as today's version of jingle-jangle stuff. Instead, Pogavranjen creates haunting songs, sometimes coming close to the dark rock of the eighties and sometimes resulting in outbursts of noise rock. Other genres come to mind are post-rock, progressive & psychedelic rock and jazz.
The latter mainly because of the polyrhythmic drums, giving the whole a stunning sense of dynamics while the guitars create elaborate soundscapes. The whole is odd, bizarre and alienating but nevertheless very interesting music. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised to see as song like 'Xolotl' end up in a Tim Burton or even David Lynch movie. This is one haunting piece of music.
Pogavranjen certainly moved away from the black metal scene, but I guess it's safe to say that they have moved away from every scene, hence the 'avant-garde' tag. I also guess placing this in the realm of acts like Bauhaus, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Melvins, Ulver, John Zorn and Mr. Bungle is quite safe to say. So if you're one of those weirdos who like weirdo music that very little other people seem to understand, here's your album of the year...
Serge
Pogavranjen is a Croatian band that arose in 2008. Back then, the focus clearly was on typical black metal but gradually the band started moving in different directions. With their third album, they clearly set themselves apart from the most stubborn of musical scenes. By exploring unknown regions of dark music, Pogavranjen might become the Virgin Prunes of extreme music. Let's see if I can guide you through this.
There is very little distortion, which makes the guitars sound quite jangly at times. Yet, the whole stays away from indie rock, which I regard as today's version of jingle-jangle stuff. Instead, Pogavranjen creates haunting songs, sometimes coming close to the dark rock of the eighties and sometimes resulting in outbursts of noise rock. Other genres come to mind are post-rock, progressive & psychedelic rock and jazz.
The latter mainly because of the polyrhythmic drums, giving the whole a stunning sense of dynamics while the guitars create elaborate soundscapes. The whole is odd, bizarre and alienating but nevertheless very interesting music. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised to see as song like 'Xolotl' end up in a Tim Burton or even David Lynch movie. This is one haunting piece of music.
Pogavranjen certainly moved away from the black metal scene, but I guess it's safe to say that they have moved away from every scene, hence the 'avant-garde' tag. I also guess placing this in the realm of acts like Bauhaus, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Melvins, Ulver, John Zorn and Mr. Bungle is quite safe to say. So if you're one of those weirdos who like weirdo music that very little other people seem to understand, here's your album of the year...
Serge
