For once I feel the urge to quote the press release that came with this as despite having little information about the band, this line really did amuse. “Tyrann is highly nauseating, offensively necrotic and all over mentally destructive. Their music will do you no good and should be avoided at all costs.” Does this sell it to you? Yep me too, especially when you also add to the picture that this is a project containing within its ranks two ex members of Tsjuder and Seidemann of 1349.
What we get from the shadowing of Leng (whatever the hell that is) is olden, filthy Norwegian black metal, exactly the way it is meant to sound. ‘Reaper’ gives you something to truly fear. There is no subtle introduction to this album, just a savage drum battery birthing it with a lethal barbarity. Guitars are nice and sharp with the melody raging away behind them and vocals suitably grim and cadaverous. When the speed is lessened we are left with a rotten and rolling groove but it is one that is quickly exorcised as the tumult rises and swipes it aside. There are plenty of loud elongated “Ooohs” from the vocal department, on tracks like ‘Beneath’ they are almost vomited forth and really are well placed and quite amusing. The guitars are also prone to fly into a thrash fuelled solo adding to the depth and character of the album and acknowledging the fact that although the band can certainly play as fast as fuck, they are no one trick pony.
After having started so ferociously by ‘Hellridden’ we have lengthy passages that uncoil with a blackened doom edge, and although they are a lot slower they are still just as vicious as they limber into an all guns blazing shred-fest. Tracks seem as though they have been left to mutate into being, as they do they fester with a vile and almost bubonic intent. The song-writing here is well thought out and the delivery solid. Although this is a debut album the players have brought plenty of experience with them as it has been nurtured and it does not have the feel of any one off side projects, especially as live shows are apparently being announced soon.
I do like black metal to be imaginative and not all about nailing the proverbial cross into Christ’s side by being as fast and furious as possible. This is something I have personally found the case with 1349 although admittedly they do the job well. Tyrann have much more going on to keep me interested. The fact that they are willing to pepper their craft with styles and elements such as thrash and doom make this a winner and I certainly hope they are flung in London’s direction at some point soon.
www.myspace.com/tyrannlegion
www.darkessencerecords.no
