When you are presented with some 'atmospheric black metal' and the cover has purple writing against a nice esoteric pencil drawing, you kind of feel at home. You expect few surprises, but hope for some quality in familiar surroundings, like settling down with a new novel. It's also often the domain of the one man project, too, but it's nice that this is an actual band, a collective process to one degree or another.
Abhor, then, are Italian and this is their latest full length after a scattering of releases over the years since their 1998 demo inception. Their approach is definitely more of the occult and esoteric order than feral and Satanic, the album treading softly at the entrance with ' Golden Path' and some flowing, lilting piano work and deep and melodic, half growled vocals before the winds kick up and a classic black metal riff bursts in. It pulses in and out between the folds of the softer keyboard refrains and whispered vocals and is a rich, plush introduction. Nothing envelope pushing but even if I am a sucker for this approach, it is very classy stuff and deeply atmospheric.
Their music is also very theatrical; not in a pantomime and fake fangs kind of way, but in the suitably grandiose manner in which it conducts itself. The vocals vary from a Root's Big Boss deep baritone growl to a distant windswept howl and an eerie close-in whisper. There is the sparse but oh so effective use of violin too in the weird and sometimes harsh strings and there are the spoken scenes (which, being in Italian are impenetrable to me). But above all there is the songwriting: It flows mid paced on the whole and is sometimes reminiscent of early Gehenna. Instead of drenching the whole song in slick synth sounds, though, it chooses a restrained Burzum like use of the keys, offering flavour and shadow rather than a thick wash. This keeps the grim, dusty tomb flavour high and it really does envelop you in a world of midnight journeys, candlelight processions and crypt desecration in search of those forbidden scraps of knowledge. A work of the acolyte then. Tracks like 'De Vermiis Mysteriis' and 'Seven Magic' reek of mystery and wrap themselves in a cloak that trails the edges of Italian Giallo film scores without losing themselves in such diversions. Melodic but not soft and occult in every riff and note. The album closes with a soft, eerie acoustic number 'Aura Ignis Aqua Tellus' which allows the mystery to remain with you after the unsettling distant laugh fades, almost a perfect exit for the lost.
This is a confident and traditional taste of Black Metal. Very much a good rich red wine just dusted off from the cellars with a full body of riffs when needed and fine character notes in the use of the violin, keyboards and voices to lead your mind astray into corners that perhaps should really remain unexplored to the unwary.
Once more proving that even the heavily mined areas of black metal still have corridors and hallways where it is worth spending time. Rather excellent, really.
http://www.legioneocculta.com
Gizmo
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