There are labels out there that are genuinely about the music, while there are others who care only about lining their pockets. I guess most in our beloved genre/s fall somewhere between the two, after all operating at a loss is unsustainable unless you have substantial capital to invest from the offset; like it or not, a label needs to keep the cash flowing in order to invest both in new and existing artists. Misantrof ANTIRecords, the (anti)label of Daniel Vrangsinn (Carpathian Forest), is a company that I have a lot of time and respect for. They operate on a completely not-for-profit basis and release their catalogue for free download, while allowing the bands freedom and control over their own music. Crucially important (especially for those who are of the opinion that anything given away for free is going to be un-listenable) is the fact that they are releasing QUALITY stuff within the black metal field; I mean, this isn’t your average bargain-basement junk destined for failure (read: the Copro of the BM underground), their Episode 13 release Death Reclaims the Earth was my #2 album of 2010 for gods sake!
Well this is another fine example of why you need to support this label. The third album from Australian band Memoria, who recently signed to Misantrof, is one album you NEED to have on your hard-drive. Not just ‘cos it’s free, but because it’s bloody good. This has all of the ferocity and power you’d expect from black metal; a real gnarly guitar sound and drumming that crashes forth calamitously making good use of cymbals. There is also just a kind of glowing warmth and ambience to this, at times such as on ‘The Rats Resist’ a Spanish guitar sound works its charm. ‘The Dogs Smell Blood’ manages to gradually increase its levels of fury and aggression and before you know it the hounds are charging off with bared teeth after their prey, and then ‘Claw At The Pine’. Again, this doesn’t hold back in the slightest, it’s full of menace and the sirenesque riffs really are a cause for alarm. Soon things slow down a little and those velveteen clean vocals become the focal point. These songs are incredibly well-structured with plenty of light and shade, segueing between the two with fluidity. This strikes as both an intelligent and meaningful album; as with most of my favourite releases that fall within the black metal category, there is an approach that it doesn’t really sit down with the intention of making a \\\metal/// album at the expense of individuality and creativeness and I admire its progressive nature.
There is a slightly more experimental touch later on, starting with the static fuzz of ‘Ect’ that blows wide open into track 5. There is lots going on here, and I’m reminded a bit of Vintersorg with the majestic vocals and progressive sounding chorus. I get the impression this is a concept album, as talk of rats scurries through various tracks infecting the music I wonder if the islanders are dropping down dead with the bubonic plague or some other incurable disease that renders old ‘Doctor Creve’ powerless. ‘The Rats Resist’ is a beautifully dark and reflective interlude complete with Spanish guitar and leads neatly to the ‘25th Island’ which has an Enslaved-esque mid-paced march to it and tons of atmosphere. Again, the coterminous use of harsh rasps and clean chants works fantastically well.
There is lots to take in on this album, and yet I felt an instant affinity with it. Memoria have crafted a sophisticated and well-structured black metal album that captures ones attention from start to finish.
http://www.myspace.com/memoriaaustralia
Luci Herbert
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