ATTIC - Return of the Witchfinder review

 

ATTIC - Return of the Witchfinder

Van Records

In all honesty (and if you are a regular reader of this blog then you know I'm honest as the day is long) I learned about this German five piece band earlier this year. I'll give props to a favorite Youtube channel of mine for recommending them. But just for the record ATTIC started out in 2010, released their first demo in 2012 and now we have their third full length. And yeah I haven't heard their two previous albums. 

So whats cool about ATTIC? Well if you give this one listen then you'll believe that this band is the musical reincarnation of early MERCYFUL FATE. I mean vocalist Meister Cagliostro is a dead ringer for King Diamond. But as far as the songs go ah yeah it's also a reminder of the Hank Shermann and Michael Denner guitar era. The songs are haunting, sometimes there's an added MAIDEN-esque galloping rhythm thrown in along with some black metal touches. I do like all of the songs on here but the final cut "Synodus Horrenda" is an amazing opus. But anyways this is just an amazing album period end of story. 

Then again OK it's MERCYFUL FATE worship so why should you check it out? Well honestly I hate bands who are carbon copies of others. AC/DC worship bands are the worst. But I listen to this and think well King Diamond hasn't come out with anything new in a while. I'm a huge MERCYFUL FATE fan and here we have a new band that's taking something we all know and continued on where it left off. 

With that all said I believe ATTIC's Return of the Witchfinder album will be played a lot by me this year and I've got to get their early stuff. 

https://van-records.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://attic-vanrecords.bandcamp.com/album/return-of-the-witchfinder-2

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST - The Thule Grimoires review

 

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST - The Thule Grimoires

Van Records

I first got into this German one man band with the second album, Rain Upon The Impure, from 2006. Although I'm pretty sure it was a year later when I got it. I had known Alexander von Meilenwald played drums with another cool German BM act NAGELFAR. I have one of their releases as well. Just to make clear I still believe that Rain Upon The Impure is an amazing masterpiece in modern era black metal. I was just listening to it a few weeks ago and it still holds you in a menacing grip. If I were to compare it to a horror movie it would be an edge of your seat thriller.

Of course after that I kept picking up the full lengths. Never did pick up any of the short form releases (the splits) even though they're in abundance. Still haven't picked up the debut full length either. Yeah I know, fuck me. Now although I liked what followed, 2009's Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite is definitely a winner as far as atmospheric black metal goes. It was on Blood Vaults from 2013 and the last one 2017's Exuvia where my appreciation of the music started to wane a bit.

Don't get me wrong I do believe the last two THE RUINS OF BEVERAST releases have their merits but not enough to completely intrigue me as the listener. So now with The Thule Grimoires I still think there's too much space filled with boring atmosphere. But and this is important, the man's vision for a close to perfection blackened gothic doom release is here. 

First off writing about hour plus more releases are always a pain. With that said the more Alexander moves toward full on gothic doom the more I turn away. Just like on Exuvia, this one has elements which bring to mind KATATONIA and not the good stuff. There is just so much filler going on in the goth department that the blackened bits feel like saving graces. Opener "Ropes into Eden" is a good track which mixes the blackened and doom genres well. 

From that point onward you get some grandiose goth doom followed by 1980's Berlin underground discotheque influenced post punk. Add to that speak/sing clean vocals. Yeah I hate TYPE O NEGATIVE by the way. Personally I like the harsh vocals Alexander does but that's few and far between on here. I thought "Anchoress in Furs" was a highlight since it brings about the melodic elements in line with the harsh just like the opening track. "Polar Hiss Hysteria" is something which will keep you awake. But that was about it.

I spent two good weeks of my life listening to this one off and on. Yes this is an amazing album if you're into gothic doom with some blackened touches. Just for the record I have favorites from the past but not much to speak of in modern times. I knew THE RUINS OF BEVERAST were hanging off the atmospheric black metal template by their fingernails years ago. The Thule Grimoires is where Alexander fell off. I won't be coming back to this release but hey you might love it.

https://van-records.com/

LISTEN HERE:

https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/the-thule-grimoires

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST - Exuvia review

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST - Exuvia
Van Records




As far as German black metal goes I've always been a traditionalist. I like my MOONBLOOD, ENDSTILLE, NARGAROTH and KATHARSIS. Just to name a few that is and yes all classic hate filled bands. Although in more recent years I've allowed certain German black metal acts that hang off the template by their fingernails. I'm talking about bands like SECRETS OF THE MOON and THE RUINS OF BEVERAST. I first got into this act because it's the solo project of Alexander von Meilenwald who was once in another cool German black metal band NAGELFAR. Obviously this project is a far cry from his previous work. 

This is THE RUINS OF BEVERAST's fifth full length. I own three prievious ones and must say 2006's Rain upon the Impure and 2009's Foulest Semen of a Sheltered Elite are pretty damm good. I never owned the first one and thought 2013's Blood Vaults was a bit boring. So here we have the latest and my thoughts on Exuvia are mixed. On the plus side I like how this sticks with the blackened doom esthetics of past releases albeit still keeping the blacks very black. That's what Von Meilenwald does so well. 

So what's not to like? Well there's too much, no there's way too much repetition. I like all six cuts on here but their lengths are based on the continuous repeated riffs that crawl along like a snail. The opening title track is over fifteen minutes long. The first time I listened to it at the ten minute mark I left the room to make coffee. I came back and it was still playing and I hadn't missed a beat. Then there's "The Pythia´s Pale Wolves" which is an incredible song, my favorite on here, with those airy ethereal female wails backed with a sonically charged rhythm. Then the thing ends with a blackened maelstrom. Sure that's great but by the twelve minute mark you kinda wander and the ending is a let down.

The bottom line is that too much of a good thing gets boring. Also I'm not into the whole tribal thing Von Meilenwald is pushing with the chants and spoken word portions. Also I'd swear that "Towards Malakia" is a reworking of something KATATONIA did years ago but hey you can blacken anything these days. Still this is better than Blood Vaults.


http://www.van-gbr.de/

https://theruinsofbeverast.bandcamp.com/album/exuvia

https://www.facebook.com/The-Ruins-Of-Beverast-116

GOATH - Luciferian Goath Ritual review

GOATH - Luciferian Goath Ritual

Van Records




I must admit I'm a traditionalist when it comes to my favorite music but once in a while I kinda like when a band adds to their template of sound. I don't refer to it as progression or progressive because in musical terms that means "watered down". For me it's like adding something to the secure foundation. Think of it like putting an addition on your house or spicing up a recipe. That's what I come away with while listening to this German band's debut full length.

GOATH are firmly rooted in the blackened death genre but it's when they douse themselves in the whole cannon of black metal, toss in some thrash and even old school metal then they have built up their template and not progressed away. Lots of bands have done this in the past which I've had mixed opinions about. When it's too obvious it fails but this three piece seems to incorporate it well into their song craft. This is the musical equivalent of peering into an well equipped inquisition style torture dungeon.

I don't want to get into the songs, vocals or riffs, fuck, seriously everything on here is a raw brutal assault. Luciferian Goath Ritual is a hungry sounding beast and look if I was pressed to compare I'd say imagine if DEICIDE was more into black metal. Otherwise this is just unique as well as being one of the best releases you'll punish yourself with in 2017.

http://www.van-gbr.de/

https://www.facebook.com/Goath666

https://goath.bandcamp.com/album/luciferian-goath-ritual