Customer Reviews

Into Shadows Act II: Through Horned Shadows Glimps

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Moribund records has been releasing a lot of black metal along the lines of this album recently - extremely droning and repetitious, thinly produced, dynamically flat, almost like noticeable changes or memorable moments were avoided in favor of setting a mood. It's totally monotonous, but at least for a couple tracks I actually kind of like the haunting, atmospheric smear that is this album. There's a very intuitive feel about all of it, like it was constructed in some state of sleep deprivation or inebriation. The musicians seem to be in a kind of trance, and they manage to draw me into it as well. If nothing else, the playing sounds honest to me.

I must say, this band's marketing as `avant-garde black metal' is absurd, and I'm glad I wasn't expecting that when I first heard them. These are old school BM riffs of the midpaced variety, both in rhythm and melodic content, even if the melodies are often quite good and effectively mournful, and more creatively harmonized and complex than a lot of bands out there. Nothing about them really changes when the distorted is turned on and off... there are only two settings. The few other elements in the mix (string synths, barely audible bass) are certainly standard fare, as well. All that really sets this band apart are their song lengths, which are often in excess of 10 minutes, a fact that may be misleading. These tracks do not progress in any noticeable manner during their running times. Instead, the extra time is used for more repetitions of the same riffs, which, when coupled with the rough and rigid, relentlessly plodding drum machine, actually enhances the stoned, zone-out state this album can produce. I would refer to this music as an especially minimalist, atmospheric take on the original black metal sound... which was already both of those things.

The vocals sound like someone being tortured in the next room over - pained, yes, but also unrelated to the music and rather distracting. I do think some kind of vocal was needed... perhaps a hollow, windy howl? See Silencer's "Death - Pierce Me" for a lesson in how vocals can be used to truly disturbing effect on an album with this sort of mood.

It's kind of strange listening to an album with so little tension... Chord progressions that would be ominous, if played by a band with some dynamics or ability to surprise, just sort of lay there on "Into Shadows Act II". In the end, though, it's that quality that I'm going to remember about this album/band. In many respects they fall short, but Azrael have managed to communicate a feeling to me with this album. Time, I suppose, will tell how much replay value something like this has. 3 stars.