Even without any info, my mind jumps to the conclusion that I have on my hands the work of a one-man project; I don’t know, it just has that feel to it that says it was all recorded in a bedroom with the aid of an 8-track. But hey, it worked for Varg Vikernes, so who can knock it? I soon discover this solo effort comes all the way from Bahrain so you can all but imagine the kind of injustice he must face given just how intolerant these Arabian governments are of anyone who goes against the grain.
Whether this was recorded in a bedroom or in a studio (although I can’t imagine finding many recording studios in Bahrain), Infernal Folklore sounds more like it was done inside a burning church; and you can actually hear the rafters crumbling, turning to dust as the infernal hellfire eats away and swallows it up into the great subterranean intestines. Infernal is definitely a word that is fitting with the music here; this is pure, unabashed hate-fuelled black metal that would, for the most part, make the aforementioned Varg, and Xasthur proud.
It’s not all razor wire guitars and calamitous drumming, as much as this fury is an integral part of the sound. This is all undercut by a layer of eerie keyboards that creep midway into the mix disturbing the attack creating an almost ethereal sound, and as the fury winds down we are left with an incredibly haunting atmosphere, which is disturbed by the vocals that seem to come from somewhere in the distance, cutting acerbically through the ambience. Certainly after the caustic rage of opener ‘The Queen Of Autumn’s Fall From Grace,’ the track that follows is far more cerebral, and Arthas’ classical influences are a lot more obvious. The raw, abrasive filth is assimilated and rapidly picks up pace as the guitars blaze into the ‘Sunset of Luciferian Fire,’ merging with the underlying serene melodies to create a kind of post-apocalyptic ambience that is thick with charred remains of the ruined church, as smoke rises from the ashes. Indeed, there is something rather bleak about this desolate soundscape in a way that reminds me of Moonsorrow’s V:Havitetty.
The classical thread that runs through the record also seeps into the guitar work, as we are occasionally treated to some Malmsteenesque neo-classical widdling that shows this isn’t quite the work of someone unwilling to bring in external influence. ‘The Wrath Of God and the Grace Of Babylon’ has a suave shift of pace from slow, ambient kind of moods that progress into a rapid charge. There is an almost romantic styling to the keyboard melody here that drifts along until the disquieting cries that lead into ‘The Frozen 25th Hour,’ which leads into a tranquil end to the journey. With its equal mix of raw, black metal ferocity and keyboard driven atmosphere, I found this a most enjoyable listen, but if there is one complaint to be made it is that the tracks seem to be unnecessarily lengthy, which ends up being rather fatiguing as it passes into the 11/12 minute terrain. Nevertheless, that is a minor criticism and really, this is an artist screaming for your attention. I just hope he doesn’t go skipping further down the Vikernes path, as we all know where that leads!
http://www.myspace.com/infernalfolklore
