Tag Archives: depressive black metal

MONUMENTAL REX announces new LACRAU album and reveals first track!

On September 22nd 2023, Monumental Rex will internationally present Lacrau’s debut full-length album, Axioma, on CD digipack format.

Formed in the mountainous region of Serra da Estrela, Portugal, Lacrau introduces Axioma – a conceptual work that combines Depressive, Black and Doom Metal elements to tell a story inspired by the legendary Scandinavian senicide ritual. It is told that the practice consisted in elderly people throwing themselves, or being thrown, from precipices after becoming unable to take care of themselves or perform everyday tasks. Written in Portuguese, the lyrical narrative describes the ritual from different angles: the realization of the burden, the journey to the cliff, the induced feelings and the acceptance of the fate.

Axioma unfolds during six tracks totaling 38 minutes. The opening track sets the tense mood for the gloomy tale. The next four chapters immerse the listener into the storyline by means of aggressive, melancholic and melodic riffage, harsh extreme vocals, dynamic and punchy drums, and an overall dense and crisp sonority. The closing piece establishes the aftermath ambience of the rite of passage. Thus, all tracks create a continuous soundscape that seamlessly represents the ebb and flow of the narrated events.

Featuring members from Carma and Everto Signum, Lacrau recorded and produced Axioma independently. Abstract and symbolic illustrations, hand-drawn by Lacrau, complement the story, while the design and layouting tasks were carried out by Infected Minds.

Start exploring Axioma with the track ‘Declínio’ available at Monumental Rex’s YouTube channel as well as on Bandcamp, where the album and merch preorders are active.

More infos at:
Axioma @ BandcampLacrau @ FacebookMonumental Rex @ BandcampMonumental Rex @ Facebook

(review) Afraid of Destiny – ‘Contra Omnes’ (Talheim Records)

Još jedan bend s moćne talijanske underground scene je pred nama. Afraid of Destiny su iz Trevisa i ovo je njihov novi album koji je izašao uz pomoć Talheim Records. Na albumu čiji naziv znači protiv svih, se nalaze sedam pjesama, od kojih su neke stvarno malo poduže, ali to u ovom žanru koji sviraju nije problem. Afraid of Destiny sviraju miks melodičnog, atmosferičnog black metala s onim što zovu depressive black metal. No, ovdje nije riječ o nekom trećerazrednom Burzum klonu, već o odličnom melodic black metal bendu koji je do nedavno bio one man project čovjeka zvanog Adimere. No, koliko se vidi iz podataka sada su punokrvni bend. Obožavam kako je ovaj album napisan. Daje točno prekrasnu kombinaciju brzih i očajničkih žestokih blast beatova i sporijih doom pasaža, kao i ambijentalnih klavijaturnih dijelova spojenih sa odlično napisanim gitarama i vokalima koji variraju od izmučenih blackerskih screamova do šaptanja preko govora i clean vokala. Teme kao što su ‘Anti’, ‘Lullaby’ i ‘Breath’ će vas sigurno oduševiti ako volite ovakvu glazbu i shvatiti da je black metal jedan od najboljih žanrova za izražavanje osjećaja i agresije.

8/10

(review) CRAWL – ‘Damned’ (Profound Lore)

Underground never ceases to amaze and give you something special and unique to listen and to satisfy your black heart with. CRAWL is a one man entity with one Michael A. Engle simultaneously playing drums, bass, vocals, synth and samples all at once. If CRAWL performs live that is surely unique and special sight and soundscape to behold and hear. This one contains only four songs with shortest being a little under seven minutes and longest being a little under eleven minutes. But, do not despair. Hark, CRAWL has so much to offer. This is darkness pure, so thick and when listening to this one, you feel like standing in front of a black wall with no possibility to cross it only to wither and die, but also it provides darkness so touchable that you can almost feel the wall of fear and despair with the tips of your fingers. CRAWL plays something in between blackened dungeon doom with tortured vocals screams, some whispers and speak like in horror movies, many samples, distorted bass, slow and funeral drum procession melancholy emphasized with piano and synth parts and some almost ritualistic slowing down, like you can virtually feel your heart beat slowing down and some song parts for me symbolize withering and dying, hopelessness and darkness, with no end in sight only despair and anguish, also with aggression as a result of realizing above mentioned. You must listen to this one as a whole process, it is excellent.

8,5/10

Bandcamp