Artist: Cult of Erinyes
Title: A Place to Call My Unknown
Type: Album
Label: Les Acteurs de l’Ombre
This debut album from Brussels-based Cult of Erinyes is billed as “ritualistic Black Metal”. It offers nothing especially original in the sphere of this genre but in its atmosphere, changes of pace and controlled fury, it has plenty to engage the listener. The vocalist has a suitably rough tone and to the accompaniment of vicious and crashing guitar work sounds as if he is punching his way through mud. He style and ambiance recalls a number of Black Metal bands, among them Gehenna, Dark Fortress, Watain and Malsain.
A lot of work has gone into the production of this album. The opening track “Call No Truce” is a treat in itself. It starts with a fast blast. It’s melodic but demanding. The guitars strike out harshly and ominously, momentarily slowing down for an echoing chant before winding up again. The ending is shadowy and quiet. The next one “Insignificant” is more dark and atmospheric. Steady paced and creepy, it has the air of whispering death and developing nastiness. “Island” is one of the most interesting tracks. It’s another hymn to blackness. Violent guitar resounds through it while the vocalist preaches eternal darkness. A whistling sound makes ghoulish sounds in the background. After slowing down, we hear screams and a final horrible assault is launched. “Island” is designed to get into our heads and succeeds. Immediately following it is “A Thousand Torments”, a track with the strains of Gorgoroth about it. Dripping vitriol pours out with appropriately imperious guitars and blasts. It’s worked up and down the scale to create a truly intense and malevolent atmosphere. A Thousand Torments indeed. This leads directly into the creepy “Permafrost” with its quiet atmosphere of foreboding. As the album progresses, unbridled violence and fast, blood-spattered rage, ghostly vocals rising above the thunderous carnage, unhealthy screams, creeping death, ghastly suffering and slow, funereal sounds are all thrown into the mix. I half-expected to hear the Darkthrone lyric “nothing leads to nothing” on the disease-ridden “Black Eyelids”, such is the ambiance. “Thou Art Not” is an interlude of instrumental darkness. It is strongly reminiscent of Mayhem’s “View from Nihil”. After such an eclectic mix of Black Metal moods, the album needs a strong finish and gets one with “Last Light Fading”. Initially frenetic, furious and bludgeoning Black Metal slows down to allow in doom-driven guitars. The guitars ring out threateningly and cry out in an industrial-style ending, signalling chaos and despair. There’s a certain majesty about it. The vocalist’s growls disappear into the background as the track and the album fades away into oblivion.
This isn’t just an exercise in ticking Black Metal boxes. “A Place to Call my Unknown” is a carefully constructed musical experience. It has plenty of ideas, variety and contrasts. I’d suggest that it’s well worth a listen.
http://www.myspace.com/cultoferinyes
http://www.lesacteursdelombre.net
http://www.myspace.com/ladloproductions
