1349 – The Wolf and the King 8/10
Remaining pure to the ideal and the sounds of true Norwegian black metal, 1349 since 1997 have ignored the expansion and the dilution of the term black metal. Their sound is merciless and raw yet brimming with talent. Aptly named the year the black death arrived in Norway their eighth grand Opus The Wolf and the King is an unforgiving assault the stalwarts of the genre are famous for.
The Wolf and the King can be described in one word…blistering. The pace is frenetic bordering on the violent. The Vessel and The Storm captures this brilliantly, its wild and crazed yet loyal to its roots of being an utterly honest black metal record with flourishes of real metal and some great dynamics to create music that never stops moving and truly born of hatred. The excellent production captures the essence of grimness and vitriol excellently. It is a malevolent storm set to throbbing bass and Hellenic percussion that is riddled with tempos and dynamics Courtesy of Frost. Any mid-tempo gives way to a cataclysm as Inner Portal and Inferior Pathways display. They assault the senses, tracks that hurl themselves headlong into the abyss, full of excellent riffing and cold precision and pure black metal ethos. “Ashes of Ashes” contains some elements of thrash whilst Shadow Point drips in raw atmosphere and the inexorable march to oblivion.
Ending with the faithful and appropriately titled Fatalist a the more of the unhinged solos and breakneck speed that the band is famous for, it is a timely reminder that extreme music is for the devout and the like-minded, The Wolf and The King is pure 1349 and True Norwegian second wave black metal, Grim unforgiving and utterly uncompromising
Scale of Attrition - Broken Bonds 7.5/10
At a brief ten minutes London’s Scale of Attrition announce themselves to the world with their blistering melodic death metal debut release Broken Bonds.
Its fast, infectious, and heavy, both tracks Broken bonds and Panacea are perfectly nuanced pieces of modern death metal, the melancholic melodies are matched by the precise heavy riffing. Influenced by the American wave of metal that swept the early 2000’s and the brilliance of the Scandinavian greats, Scale of Attrition build their aggression around eminently memorable riffs and perfectly matched vocals that are harsh yet not without their own harmony. Brokens Bonds is blessed with a massive breakdown guaranteed to create a physical reaction. The high paced percussion is fast energetic and reflects their no-frills aggression. Its lean and direct as death metal should be.
The experienced five piece are blessed with a fantastic production that reflects their precision and enthusiasm. If there is a negative it is only because it is two tracks long. For fans of modern death metal Scale of Attrition are definitely worthy of your attention Broken Bonds a perfectly paced released their showcases their excellent technical might.
Aera – Phantast 9/10
Derived from the old German dialect meaning earth, Aera began their question of original existence and mans alienation from nature in 2018. Phantast is their third release that continues the evolution from 2020’s Schattenfall ‘– EP, a combination of sophisticated lyricism, progressive and atmospheric nuances combined with the raw primal power that is black metal.
Phantast is a record that pushes boundaries on thought, the cosmos, the nature of self and the earth. Over its four tracks it creates evocative ideas and challenges the listener to undertake a journey through their world inspired by poetry and philosophy. It’s a dichotomy that runs through the album, free thought and sonnets combined with the raw brittle urgency of black metal.
The subtle guitar melancholy of Sshattenkreuz gives sway to black metal fury before it returns to some clean melodic guitar playing, the riffs crescendo building in their atmosphere, the dynamics natural and ever evolving, its fifteen-minute run time feels half that with its combination of anger and melancholy. Empor is transcendent with its expansive opening before it delves into the underground of extremity its final three minutes with That Riff demanding to replayed continuously. Fleisch und Knochen revels in intensity and bleakness, its shorter running time creating a sense of urgency, the riffs spilling out in a barrage of nineties inspired black metal.
Evocative, creative, and heavy Phantast is adventurous, demanding, calming and soothing. It is both storm and calm, Aera are able to seamlessly merge the purity of second wave black metal with the more modern expansive aesthetic. It’s a work of art that cares little for convention but more the creation of textures and sounds based on ideas and emotions. Highly recommended
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