Now here’s something a bit different – a secretive UK supergroup made up of ‘current and ex-members of some of the key extreme bands from the last decade’, purporting to play occult-themed metal of the blackest variety. All very enigmatic! Unfortunately, a brief perusal of the associated photo of the four hooded characters in question renders the identity of one of these chaps pretty obvious but I digress… In this internet era where every layer of mystery can be stripped away from a band at the click of a mouse button, it is heartening to see someone doing their best to shroud their music in a cloak of the unknown and hark back to those electric days of the early Nineties.
Sonically, Nine Covens present a fat-free, no-frills platter of melodic black metal. Dwelling almost exclusive in the ‘guitar wash’ approach of the Ukranian scene, the four multi-part pieces that make up ‘On The Coming of Darkness’ are delivered with an appreciable level of venom and the compositional competence one would expect from a group of veterans. All trends and progressions are eschewed here – no post-rock or shoegaze moments, synths/electronics or any of that jazz. Indeed, apart from a few eerie clean vocal choirs at the end of the final track ‘Exiles: Part 2’, this is down-the-line guitar/vox/drum stuff. And to an extent it works – minimal and effective, the focus very much is upon a furious vocal delivery and riff patterns that are as much reflective melancholy as they are caustic aggression. Coming across like early Gorgoroth duelling with the warm fuzz of Drudkh, it’s clear that these guys know what it is they are trying to achieve. This none more evident than on the lurching, cascading menace of ‘Judgment: Part 2’ where a captivating central refrain and melancholic lead-line is used to great effect.
For each moment of inspiration though, Nine Covens have a habit of treading water. Moments of this record are familiar to the point of weariness - the riffs on ‘Resurrection: Part 3’ for example have been heard on dozens of black metal records from Eastern Europe over the last 10 years and sound distinctly recycled. Add to this a guitar & vocal heavy production that not only leaves the drums as a crisp but tinny afterthought but also is draped in a distinctly overpolished sheen and it leaves one feeling as if there is something curiously dissatisfying with this opus. Trimmed to an EP, this would be great but as is, there is perhaps a little too much filler here to render it essential.
http://www.myspace.com/ninecovens
Frank Allain
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