Review: Black Pyre – Winter Solstice
MusicReviews
Black Pyre is a band that hails from Cardiff and creates a kind of demonic, ambient sound. Drawing influence from the cursed Grimoires of old and classic demonology, the early Norwegian Black Metal scene, doom metal, dark ambience, and sometimes completely unrelated sources to make unique and forbidden Black Metal music.
A fairly young quartet that started up in 2017. They've already released two singles, 'Summonings' and Marbas, both in 2019, an EP in 2019 "The Forbidden Tomes", a live album 'Live at Winter Eradication' and in 2020 they did a split released with "Niekinti" called "To Reign in the Halls of Blasphemy / The Forbidden Tomes.
The band consists of :
– Asbjorn – Guitars and Vocals
– Olthigor – Guitars
– Kjottflate – Bass
– Dominus – Drums
I, the author, was fortunate enough to catych them preforming at Winter Eradication in 2019, and their live preformant and sound was just amazing. (much thanks to the soundguy, of course). I remember listening to a band that was really well rehearsed, and incredible tight. And listening to this album brings me back to this consert.
The winter eradication Festival 2019 was held at Fuel Rock Club in Cardiff. An amazing pub/club-scene and not least a really great place to play as a band. Great scene and great sound.
Well, the album was released Nov 27th 20 and consists of 10 tracks. The band describes the albus as "Written under the dark moons of winter, exploring the mysteries of worlds beyond, and the spiritual connection of the daemonic and of the solstice».
As many records these days, this was recorded in various places, as Woodcroft Audio and Longwaves Studios. The album was mixed and mastered at WT Philpot Music and Production, and is a self-release. You can clearly hear the effort that has been put into this album, and the inspiration from old Norwegian Black Metal. Sound wise the album is very easy to listen to.
In between the punching tracks you'll find "Pale Apparition" and "Underworld", two short track that gives this album this melodic and atmospheric feeling to it. "Pale Apparition" slides directly over to their main track "Winter solstice" making those two tracks almost inseparable
The same goes for "Underworld" that has a great transition to "Black Magic Heresy".
Sometimes you can notice if something is off, even if you can't really hear it. To hear that, one has to notice of the album feels, not just how it sounds
Sound wise there is not much to put my finger on. Black metal is never easy to mix and master, and often the drums or the vocals are either too low or to high. There are small bits on this album where this can be found, but it's fairly unnoticeable if you don't really listen for it.
Sometimes you can notice if something is off, even if you can't really hear it. To hear that, one has to notice of the album feels, not just how it sounds. But I don't really get that here. The album feels just like it's supposed do feel. Like a great album and is really enjoyable to liste to.
Lyrics/Writing
Epicness
All in iall this is a good records which I would recommend if you're into good old black metal
The Chief
Seventh Rising
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