There’s no lengthy intro, no fooling around, just an immediate riff with the title track “Kanawha Black.” What sticks out to me instantly is the production. Heart of Akamon wasn’t bad but could have used some cleaning up. The pristine yet somehow still a little DIY-sounding master here is excellent. This track has several tempo changes, including that driving main riff, a clean chorus, a blast beat-driven black metal section, and a bridge including the chorus lyrics, but a different melody.

With an infectious opener as described, the next track, “The Murky Deep,” could be considered a bit of a momentum killer with its clean-picked guitars. It’s not entirely instrumental, though, despite seeming that way for the first half. I’m not sure I would have made the same decision, but I’ve also never written an album as engaging and engrossing as Kanawha Black, so Nechochwen wins this round.

They also immediately pick up with the next thoroughly engaging track, “I Can Die but Once.” This is where they lean into the folk elements of their sound as there are multiple clean guitar passages and quiet parts. Excellent clean vocals are also prevalent. Not surprisingly, this track has the feel of one of Panopticon’s lighter ones. It’s the campfire song of the bunch.

One of this album’s best attributes is the balance between driving, heavy riffs and clean, introspective, quiet moments. I mentioned Panopticon previously and if you’ve never heard Nechochwen, that comparison is a good place to begin. Before the final two tracks is the over 7-minute “Visions, Dreams, and Signs,” which is the perfect encapsulation of this. Not only is it one of the heavier tracks, but it has some somber, quieter moments within, creating that juxtaposition. The clean, almost chanted vocals really add to the atmosphere.

“Generations of War,” track 6, is one hell of a closer, with its repeated refrain of “when every stand is the last” on top of a driving riff. The only problem is that it’s not the final track. That fadeout at the end hammers home that it is, but “Across the Divide” starts. If it weren’t a great track and/or the album was longer, this would qualify as a misstep. Fortunately for the duo of Nechochwen, it is not.

This is not only my favorite folk metal album of the year so far, but one of my favorite releases altogether. Call it a small amount of bias since I am still relatively close geographically to where these guys create their masterpieces, but I’m sure my opinion will be validated when many other reviews start to trickle in and others who are far more into this folk metal sub-genre agree with me. You owe it to yourself and Nechochwen to give this album a go. It may just end up on your list, too.

Sometimes, you just know you are listening to something special. It’s hits so many perfect parts and checks so many boxes, but intangibly, it just raises the hair on your neck and hits your very soul. About 7:25 into the opening track “White Granite”, is where I knew it.  A delicate acoustic bridge and 30 seconds later a gorgeous, shimmery explosion of blackened elegance and thus the template for the the rest of the album’s journey is laid forth.

The 5 songs that comprise Vigilance Perennial‘s perfect 45 minute run time still carry that cascadian vibe from the opposite coast; the crisp dewy fall air of Agalloch and forested majesty of Wolves in the Throne Room, but Falls of Rauros have simply forced on all cylinders hit the stylistic sweet spot. There is such an air of confidence and sheer perfection dripping from every note and riff, it’s like light breaking through storm clouds, in it’s tangibly brilliant aura.

Whether it’s the aforementioned “White Granite” or the the more somber ebb and flow and gossamer symphonic touch of second track “Labyrinth Unfolding Echoes” , more temperamental downpour of  “Arrow and Kiln” the albums standout, with a knee wilting climax or even the almost heavenly aura of closer “Impermanence Streakt Through Marble” (with a last 5 minutes to simply die for), the album just sucks you into an almost trance like state of admiration and emotional catharsis. Even 2 minute mid  album interlude “Warm Quiet Centuries of Rains” is a perfect moment of tranquility.

Other than maybe Dark Descent Records or Unique Leader, is there a label currently, that is so immaculately dialed in to a specific style or genre as Bindrune? I don’t think so. And This album is the very epitome of that symbiotic relationship that has created a perfect release in the genre and one that might be a future classic. The only downside is how can they possibly top this?

Those familiar with the last two albums, (of which Autumn Eternal is the final piece of a trilogy), know what to expect here, and Bindrune is the perfect label for the sound. Earthy, melodic, sweeping black metal rooted in the elements and nature. There’s nothing antagonistic or nihilistic as Lunn taps deep into his own experiences feelings and thoughts, inspired by his surroundings.

Opener “Tamarack’s Gold Returns” gives us an obligatory dobro and violin tinged Bluegrass intro, revisiting Lunn’s roots and reminding us of the past. But then it’s onto the meat and potatoes with “Into the North Woods” which is essentially the album’s style and soul with somber but gorgeous, contemplative, melodic riffs, distant howls and plenty of crisp, fall day atmospherics. The track ends on a wonderfully upbeat, almost Christmas-y  vibe.

The title track starts with a chilly bluster, but settles into a far more introspective pace and before swirling off into the woods with some gorgeous synths, strings and I think I even detect some subtle choirs in there too. The track bleeds directly into “Oaks Ablaze”, an otherwise blustery, fiery track, with a nice mid song break. One of the album’s standouts,”Sleep to the Sound of the Waves Crashing” initially lulls with a well……. wavy intro, before exploding with a more urgent blast and subtle layers in the background, before a very good, almost Gothic march with some wonderful violins at the 3  minute mark, which leads into a just gorgeous string only section, which is movie score quality good.

Personal favorite, “Pale Ghosts” starts with just glorious, soaring riff that comes close to “Chase the Grain” from Roads to the North and has that happy/sad vibe and shimmer that many post black/shoe gaze bands (Ghost Bath , Woods of Desolation) etc) are utilizing, and it more than makes up for the slightly out of place clean vocals which are not Lunn’s strong point, though they seem better on the 11 minute penultimate epic, “A Superior Lament”. “The Wind’s Farewell” closes the album (and trilogy) with a fitting, somber instrumental, and we are left wondering what’s the next chapter in Lunn and Panopticon’s musical and literal journey?

That all said, I think I prefer Roads to the North a shade more, but Lunn along with Mare Cognitum and Spectral Lore are taking one man black metal to incredible new heights, and I cant wait to see where Lunn takes us next.

The UK’s 2-man Ahamkara (vocalist Steve Black and Michael Blenkarn of Wodensthrone on all other instruments and programming) has all of the hallmarks of a terrific atmospheric black metal experience: long, rangy compositions (the shortest is 10 minutes); indecipherable shrieks; percussion so relentless that it’s evolved past rhythm, and cresting swells of malevolent and majestic melody. It’s also unfortunately got some mix and rhythm problems that distract as often as they gel, but we’ll get to that.

Opener “Midwinter’s Hymn” is simply glorious, with a central melody that’s more triumphant than black and furious. Play this for anyone who’s unaccustomed to the scrawling riffs, the Wrest-like shrieking vocals, and frantic drums, and you’re likely to get a quizzical reaction, but there’s no denying how cinematic and powerful this is. Once the song slows down to its stately midsection, the beauty becomes more apparent. It’s also worth noting that Ahamkara achieves this emotion without dipping into post-metal or shoegaze, lately the go-to in black metal whenever you want to add more swoon to your tune.

The synths come to the forefront on the somber follow-up, “On the Shores of Defeat,” creating a mood that recalls the late 90s Finnish band Throes of Dawn (a gem; look ‘em up). I also hear the bass a lot more on this track, wandering up and down its own simple melody below the rushing drums and plaintive guitars. Despite the blasts, it’s a slower and more depressive track than the opener, but still a strong composition with a lot of variety in its almost 13-minute running length. The minimal midsection, with its lapping waves, shimmering chords, swelling synths, and Summoning-like bass line, is a memorable moment.

“Lamentation of a Wraith” brings in a few new elements and techniques as well, like a fragile tremolo riding high above the thunder in the first minutes, and a plinky-plunky synth sound that comes in a bit later to add some fantasy whimsy. The central melody on this track is not as strong as its predecessors’ though; it’s more stretched out and languid, and when other elements like the synths or tremolo don’t rise up, the abrasive vocals have to fill up most of the space from minute to minute. The midsection is more successful, as the drumming slows down to make room for the bass once again, and the composition feels more cohesive as a result. Same with the final minutes, when a stronger tremolo guitar comes in to take control from the wall-of-noise approach.

Final track “To Invoke the Stars Themselves” creates a long break in the action with a 2-minute ambient intro, but then dives into a intense torrent that’s darker and more determined than the other tracks. As with the previous track, the main melody suffers from a lack of definition and clarity, but I love the atmospheric midsection (starting to see a pattern here?), as its bass melody and synths combine to create a mood you’d expect from Pink Floyd. That also gives way to a gorgeous third section, with a much stronger melody that rolls along for awhile at a gentle pace before cresting to a speedy and stunning closer.

Impressive as it is as a whole, The Embers of the Stars is not without its problems. There’s just so much going on during the faster moments of each track that the elements can pull away from each other. The mix is the biggest culprit, as it varies the presence of different elements at different times. Maybe that was done intentionally based on the needs of each passage, but I found it distracting. Given all of the chaos in the faster sections, I prefer when the melodic elements – the guitars, bass, and synths – are pushed up, and the vocals and percussion recede. When the drums ride high in the mix, it’s easier to notice when they move too quickly for the wall-of-sound guitars. The percussion is generally on point and in sync, but when it’s slightly off, you get a disjointed and uneven effect.

Any black metal album with 10+ minute compositions is also not going to be the sort of thing you just toss on to blare around the house – it will quickly become background noise – so I wonder what Ahamkara could accomplish with slightly shorter songs. Around 6 to 7 minutes rather than 10-12. Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk comes to mind. Keep the rangy atmospheric midsections, but craft even stronger melodies in each, on the level of “Midwinter’s Hymn,” which I think is still the standout here.

I’ve returned to this album many times over the year, and although I’ve become accustomed to some of its quirks, the occasional looseness does keep it from being an absolute knock-out like last year’s Phobos Monolith. Still, if you are a fan of any of the aforementioned bands (all fantastic company), then The Embers of the Stars is well-worth your time and focused attention.

Clearly falling under the ‘Cascasdian black metal’ banner both geographically and stylistically, as with many bands of this ilk, this  isn’t traditional black metal and with the addition of a cello and some lovely female (and male) croons  along with the bands nature loving themes, to further upset the church burning masses, Alda is clearly going to get the dreaded hipster black metal tag. However, on its merits alone , Passage is a fine release, though arguably not quite up to the standards set by 2011s :Tahoma:.

The 14 minute “The Clearcut” starts the album in stunning fashion, setting the bar rather high, a bar the rest of the album strains to meet. Delicate acoustics, Irish accented campfire/folk singing bleeds into a stirring, melodic, wispy, tippy tappy blast beat and distant howls. its like The Cranberries meets the first Borknagar album, and its utterly gorgeous through acoustic segue/cello and ultimate climactic crescendo and acoustic fadeout.

The rest of the next four lengthy songs are cut from the same hemp cloth, but never quite strive the same level of rousing, regal, organic majesty (the same issue plagued Wiegedood’s recent,  similarly styled album De doden hebben het goed ). The 11 minute title track builds patiently, and frankly wanders a bit, but that’s a known trope of the style, and is largely instrumental for about 6 of the 10 minutes. But it eventually does peak into to one of those galloping, airy blast beats, although short lived.

“Weathering” initially follows the formula to a misty, smoky tee, with acoustics and hypnotic clean vocals, but the meat of the song is more languid and doomy rather than the explosive tremolo fuzz of the prior two songs, with a nice Jeremiah Johnson sample and acoustic section then one of those nice, shimmery gallops. Instrumental interlude, “The Crooked Trail” has a Panopticon air of Americana/blue grass before the baying Coyotes herald “Aminus” with a familiar, 3/4 or  6/8 breezy canter, which by now you have heard a few times, and it’sperdictable acoustic then blast climax is actually a bit of an album ending let down.

In all :Tahoma: is the more raw, and more memorable album, but there are moments on Passage which are brilliant, wilting and emotional, making for a still very enjoyable entry into the annals of Cascadian black metal, from folks who actually hail from Cascadia.

As I’ve said before, Falls of Rauros have done little to change up their style. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Nonetheless, the drumming on display here is significantly more liberal compared to that of their previous effort, The Light That Dwells in Rotten Wood. Blastbeats are more commonplace, to the point where every track (barring the opener and closer) contains at least one such section, making it feel more in line with their similarly aggressive debut Hail Wind and Hewn Oak. Bear in mind that I have nothing against blastbeats; it’s just that I hold the measured restraint exercised on The Light That Dwells in Rotten Wood in exceptionally high regard. Thankfully, the drumming still retains all the litheness and fluidity it always had, with all its cymbal accents and effortless fills. I suppose when push comes to shove, the more immediate nature of these songs would befit percussion of a more urgent variety. “Ancestors of Smoke”, for instance, rages on with a rustic tenderness, its guitar tremolos and bass lines tightly woven as a singular cohesive unit.

Another noticeable change from The Light That Dwells in Rotten Wood would clearly be the production values. The lead guitars are more prominent in the balance. There’s a lot more power to the drums (especially the snare), and the vocals are brought just a tad closer to the forefront. However, the rhythm guitars might have taken a slight hit, being less dreamy and spacious and more in your face.

While Falls of Rauros don’t quite live up to the high standards that I may have unfairly thrust upon them on their last release, they haven’t really done any wrong on this record either. Believe in No Coming Shore is an absolute joy to listen to, and a definite contender for the best black metal record of 2014.

My first experience with Panopticon was 2012s LP only release, Kentucky,  a brave, brilliant black metal album that fused Bluegrass, Americana and folk into black metal by way of banjos, fiddles and such to tell the plight of coal miners fighting against corporate greed. Roads to the North sees Lunn shift his lyrical and thematic focus, well… north with detailing Lunn’s physical migration from Kentucky to Minnesota, and thus the album has a duality of inherent moods that sees Lunn mix more wintery, frostier,  but gorgeously shimmery climes of a more Scandinavian lineage with heartfelt looks to his blue grass heritage.

The resultant lyrical and musical exposition is nothing short of spectacular, as the 8 track 75 minute journey is a truly enthralling experience. Those that enjoyed Kentucky, though, fare warning, this is not Kentucky pt II. It has far more emphasis of melodic, majestic sweeping black metal, signifying Lunn’s new surroundings  with only minor injections as he looks to the past with only two shorter introspective bluegrass/folk moment (“The Long Road pt 1; One Last Fire”, “Norwegian Nights”). Roads to the North has far more variety with a fuller sound and layered textures touching bases of European black metal and melodic black and death metal.

Bands that spring to mind are  early, more Viking, but getting progressive tinged Enslaved, Spectral Lore with rousing, layered and downright epic riffs, Woods of Desolation’s post-y melancholy and similar US one man act Mare Cognitum. But even with some tangible influences and references (more for review purposes and to introduce those that have not heard Panopticon more than anything else), Panopticon remains a truly uniquely brilliant entity. What sets Panopticon apart is the heart felt character and tangible emotion that drips from every note, whether its’ the savage, more death metal throes of opener “Echoes of A Disharmonic Evensong”  or the flute and fiddle start bookends “Where Mountains Pierce the Sky” (where  Woods of Desolation really comes through), you can feel Lunn’s craft, conviction and deepest personal moods  through the release. It’s evident particularly on (“The Long Road pt 1; One Last Fire”) where Lunn seems to be both sadly recalling his Bluegrass roots, but saying goodbye in cheerful, playful remembrance.

But it’s Lunn’s metal chops that steal the show with majestic, soaring melodies and riffs that will both rouse and sadden with equal emotive gravitas. Both “The Long Road pt 2: Capricious Miles” and “Pt 3: The Sigh of Summer” , delve into his personal journey that you can almost trace through the music’s bristling elegance. The latter being the album’s arguable standout with a delicate post rock build and triumphant Deafheaven -ish (I know that’s a dirty word in some parts, but I mean it as the highest complement)  peak and shimmery riff around 3 and a half minutes in.

As evidence by the opening track and start of penultimate track “In Silence” Lunn can also bare his teeth when he chooses, but his forte is more restrained, personal moments such as the moody darkwave shift “In Silence” takes midway and it’s acoustic closeout. The albums closer “Chase the Grain” is also another arguably candidate for best track merely for the simply breathtaking, layered strings that open it (seriously some of the most striking music of the year, I only wish it were longer), the gorgeous violin section and the stirring orchestral segment near the end of the track,  whereby Lunn slams an exclamation point on the album, simply artfully and simply stating “Hey- black metal album of the year here folks, imirite?”.

And while  Ordinance’s Relinquished is also in the running, I’m inclined to possibly agree.

“Well, here it is. The announcement I was promising.
Change is inevitable and if we resist it, sometimes it can be painful. I have parted ways for the with both of the labels I have been working with, The legendary Pagan Flames productions as well as Flenser records for various reasons. Above all, we all remain good friends and this split was not for any drama reasons or negativity…simply that all of us were seeing our selves go in different directions. The releases that are out already will remain with those labels and you will still be able to get them from their web shops and in distros.
ON WITH THE NEW:

A decision has been reached for the future of this project and the label home that makes the most sense for me. I have chosen to sign with Bindrune recordings in Traverse City, Michigan. There are many reasons….Many of my favorite bands have been or are on that label (Blood of the Black Owl, Falls of Rauros,Celestiial,Nechochwen, Wodensthrone, Waldgeflüster, Alda, Obsequiae) …the aesthetic suits me and my values as a person and as a musician….and above all, Marty, the owner, is one of my best friends. So the move made a lot of sense to me and I am VERY happy to be allowed to be on the label. That being said, the first release for the label is the Falls of Rauros/Panopticon split lp…followed shortly by the new Panopticon album “Roads to the North”. “Roads to the North” is again, a concept album, this time of a highly personal nature…dealing with the ways in which my personal life has changed over the past 2 years or so…the many places I have moved for my professional life, becoming a father, changes in my perspective and world view…the album is emotionally charged, dense and is also a very long record. I am honored to hand this record to Marty and see it released under the Bindrune Banner….

Thank all of you for the time and energy you have invested in me. I hope to continue to make music you find relevant to your lives and I consider it an honor to share my work with you.
Don’t let the fire burn out!
-Austin

While that’s all fine and dandy, the execution is one that only people with a certain musical pallet can enjoy. Similar to how Sun O))) delivers their messages and music, Blood of the Black Owl’s approach is one that is unique and certainly not for everybody. The seven songs (five of which are longer than ten minutes) are a sprawling listen, but like the aforementioned Sun O))) and similar bands of that ilk, what the listener is treated to is atmospheric soundscapes that drone on and on forever.

There is music, most certainly, but it’s not traditional in the least and the sounds of nature in the background further employ an approach of trying to create a visual ambience through the music. You’re not going to find regular drums or guitar solos, or catchy choruses; what you’ll instead hear are seemingly endless chords, avant-garde sounds, and guttural spoken words at times. Again, this is music that won’t sit well with the average metal fan.

A few reviews of Light the Fires! have been extremely kind; some have given this album very high praise. However, I’m not that kind because this album – and this style of music – simply does nothing for me. I understand where Blood of the Black Owl is headed and I understand the approach, but it’s just not a particular brand of music (metal or otherwise) that suits my tastes.

Obviously there is an audience for this genre of music and plenty of people will surely dig this. It’d be unfair of me to crush this album or harshly criticize it because there has been a ton of thought, effort, and – most importantly – passion that has gone into Light the Fires! With that said, it doesn’t suck and it’s not terrible because it wouldn’t be professional or respectful to say something that nasty or harsh. However, I have to be honest and flat out say that this album is something I will never return to because it’s just not my cup of tea by any stretch of the imagination. Second opinion, anyone?

The cover alone should clue most listeners in what to expect here and those expecting nods to Agalloch will be satisfied as Falls of Rauros have a distinctly Pacific Northwestern feel despite hailing from Maine. Rangy songs of introspective black –ish metal full of atmospheric acoustics, delicate, damp moods, distant rasps and the occasional brittle black metal injection. As well as the expected Agalloch hues, I also (in part to the distant shrieks) get a bit of a HEart of the Ages era In the Woods, but don’t take it as a sheer comparison, just the woodsy, rustic feel of the music.

After the requisite atmospheric intro “Earth’s Old Timid Grace” the band launch straight into the albums best track, the 11+ minute “Banished” which wanders with a restrained but elegant pace, like a walk on the woods in Autumn. Foliage crunches underfoot and damp mists swirl around your feet. It’s all very ambient, to the point where you might need a parka to listen to it and you’ll start smell wet wood and dew. The acoustic start of “Awaiting the Fire or Flood That Awakes It” saunters into view next with a pleasant folky tone before segueing into a nice lengthy, moody, melodic stroll that become a more urgent jog and epic closure, showing Falls of Rauros do have a few teeth to bear.

However, with the opening 25 minutes of the album being of such a high, mesmerizing standard, the second half of the album (its only 6 songs) tends to be a bit average; you’ve got the acoustic interlude “Nonesuch River Chant”, surprisingly stern but somber “Silence” and instrumental closer “The Cormorants Shiver on the Rocks” (how’s that for natural?). All certainly continuing the overall flow and organic quality of the style, but partly due to two of the last tracks being instrumental, lacks the wow factor of the albums early stages.

Still though, while not a album of the year contender like Obsiquiae or Fen’s Epoch, Falls of Rauros has still released a fine album fitting of Bindrune’s excellent niche of rustic, organic and atmospheric black metal.

Eh, enough of that. Writing a review in iambic pentameter is damn near impossible.

These guys do a much better job with the medieval slant on their craft. Minneapolis’ Obsequiae play a highly stylish, melodic take on black metal that sounds like it’s drifting through some cosmic space portal from Ye Olde Original Renaissance Faire. Except it’s not cheesy, and there are no prancing LARPers, pewter dragon swords or giant turkey legs. From the first cycling strains of “Altars of Moss,” Obsequiae bewitch you into a state of genuine fantasy bliss. It’s a simple concept – marry black metal to traditional medieval melodies – and man, do they pull it off right from the start.

Of course, other bands have flirted with this execution before – Summoning’s Middle-Earth-meets-Middle-Ages stomp being the most obvious answer. However, much as I have fond memories of re-reading The Lord of the Rings while Dol Guldur and Minas Morgul played on repeat, those albums were far simpler listens, and more apt to become background music. They relied more heavily on repeating, rolling melodies over martial percussion; a lulling accompaniment to long treks from there and back again.

Obsequiae, on the other hand, crafts a far more intricate experience. These songs don’t just sound composed – they sound woven, like fine tapestries only recently uncovered in some mouldering vault. Elegant melodies unfurl on each track – some as rumbling, churning mid-paced black metal, and others, like the lovely “Sidhe” or the nimble thrum of “Wildes Heer,” as acoustic medieval folk hymnals. There’s even an appropriate touch of lumbering doom on the title track and “The Wounded Fox.” Each track features a unique structure and an intelligent, purposeful use of cycling, dual harmonies twisting into and around each other. Combine that unique compositional sensibility with a steady pace (even when things seem frantic), playful percussion and expressive rasps, and you have a black metal experience that’s nothing short of hypnotic.

I’m no expert on medieval composition, but it seems like Obsequiae conducted some serious study, and then ably translated those findings to a palette you’d expect to hear from a Dissection or Abigor album. I’ve done my best to describe it, but you really need to hear it for yourself.

Another fine addition to Bindrune Recordings’ already-impressive roster (Wodensthrone, Falls of Rauros, Blood of the Black Owl) of bracing, atmospheric and iconoclastic black metal, and a worthy purchase for connoisseurs and the curious alike.

The Light That Dwells in Rotten Wood is off to be mastered by Sacred Sound Studios towards the end of the week and we look forward to unleashing this CD in June. The LP version will surface by the end of the year as Bindrune will be working with Flenser Records to bring this opus to the analog format. More details on that, and a FoR band page will surface on this site in the coming days/months.

Until then, an excerpt of the track, “Nonesuch River Chant” has been added to the “Music Player” section for a sneak peek of what’s to come…

Bindrune Recordings announces that pre-orders are now being accepted for Forest of the Soul’s – Restless in Flight!

Featuring Aaron Carey and Andrew Della Cagna of

Nechochwen, FotS is a hard band to pigeonhole, for they encompass the fluidity of  classical acoustic instrumentation, rock, folk, and an undeniable

Appalachian Country spirit that stirs with the eclectic soul of their homeland. Unclassifiable and amazingly beautiful, “Restless in Flight” is Forest of the Soul’s 3rd release and it blew us away with such a strong level of atmosphere… an aura that perfectly embodies the nature of what we try to uphold with Bindrune Recordings.

The 6 panel digipak CD is currently at the pressing plant. The 1st 50 pre-orders will receive an 11″x17″ poster. The Music Player section of the site features “Alone/Desert Rose” from the album for preview.

A two man project (mainly former Angelrust and Harvist member Aaron Carey) hailing from West Virginia, Nechochewn (Carey’s given Lenni-Lenape Indian name) is based on the Adena and Hopewell peoples, a mysterious group of ancient American Indians known for constructing giant burial mounds and effigy earthworks in the Ohio River Valley region more than 2000 years ago. Thusly, the music on Azimuths to the Otherworld is congruent with such themes. It’s mostly ambient, acoustic, tribal and folky, but with strains of doomy black metal and post-rock akin to label mates’ Blood of the Black Owl’s first two albums. It’s the kind of album you’d usually expect to hear on Prophecy Productions and it’s brilliantly hypnotic and engrossing.

While certainly more appealing to fans of bands like Blood of the Black Owl, Neun Welten, Tehni and Subaudition there are elements here that I could see appealing to the ‘hipster’ black metal set (mainly Agalloch, but also Wolves in the Throne Room, Fen, Altar of Plagues etc) as when Nechochwen do delve into more riff based realms (which isn’t very often), it has that organic, layered, earthen and largely instrumental feel that imbues mist filled valleys and waterfalls rather than craggy, frosty hostile mountains. These moments (i.e. “Allumhammochewn: The Crossing”, last moments of “Red Ocher”, “Charnel House”, “Confluence”, droning “Four Effigies”, somber doom of closer “Graves of Grandeur” (Reprise)”) amid the spoken words, acoustic, tribal beats, rattling and spirit calling rituals that make up a majority of the album, do keep the album within the realms of metal, but just barely.

Otherwise, atmospheric tracks like “Glissis Mikana”, “At Night I May Roam”, “The Eyes of the Mesingw” and “Graves of Grandeur” are hypnotic, soothing and captivating yet melancholic moments that capture the call of the wild and the grief and strong spirit of a culture wronged and virtually wiped out but not forgotten.

Where as Scott’s last two albums, the debut Blood of the Black Owl and 2008s A Feral Spirit were transcendental and at time tribal takes on plodding blacked drone, doom, A Banishing Ritual is almost all melancholy atmospherics, FX, programming and a seemingly cathartic album that runs as one 41 minute journey into one man’s soul. And while (at least on my ipod) only one of the 4 ‘movements’ contains any actual riffs or metal or any sort, the albums mainly organic, ritualistic throes are commanding and hypnotic enough to keep your attention.

Continuing the almost Native American/tribal atmosphere of A Feral Spirit, the ambience is heavy on naturalistic sounds and woodwind or organic instruments, though backed by a deep industrial hum. The journey is one that seems befitting a smoke filled Wigwam with various shamanistic elements, rattling, hissing, and chanting. 13 minutes or so into the cleansing ritual, the albums only real metal arises with three minutes of a thunderous, doomy riff before a haunting string drone and robotic chant kicks in for a lengthy segue.

The last movement starts as a despondent acoustic mantra that morphs into a discordant shimmer with some pained shrieks that seem to have Scott and co exercise any remaining personal demons and lay Blood of the Black Owl to rest as he moves onto his other project Ruhr Hunter.

Rest in piece.

This is true pagan black metal, alternately pensive and savage, with a core of longing that runs through their sound like ancient bone beneath earth, clay and ash. Steady drumming and warm, distorted guitars fill out the nine lengthy tracks, with Brunwulf’s frayed croak echoing overhead. And the entire experience is shadowed by tasteful, subtle synthwork, which colors each melody with lush, organic melancholy. Add in occasional clean chants, acoustic strumming, and delicate, haunting woodwinds, and it’s a flawless example of how the genre should sound. And if that’s not convincing enough, the band also recorded the album at Negura Studios in Romania, after appearing with Negura Bunget and Fen in 2007.

Loss is a massive, enveloping experience (over an hour long), patterned with light and shadow and shifting moods. Where “Leodum On Lande” is a soothing, twilight dirge, “Heiofungtid” is a rousing midday gallop – the perfect blend of Moonsorrow’s thunderous heroics and Drudkh’s autumnal panoramas. You can practically hear the hoofbeats drumming across the plains, the spatter of mud, and the ragged caw of the crows as they take flight from skeletal branches.

The middle of the album is dominated by three monstrous, perfectly titled epics. “Those That Crush the Roots of Blood” furiously condemns the forces – religious, political and historical – that wiped away England’s ancient cultural heritage. It’s followed by “Black Moss,” the blackest, strangest and most martial moment on the entire disc. And “Upon These Stones” takes a more wistful look back at the isles’ lost ages, with a striking midsection woven from strands of Middle Eastern melody and misty psychedelia. Then, after the hypnotic, instrumental pomp and folk of “Pillar of the Sun,” Loss comes to a moving, solemn close with “That Which is Now Forgotten – 597.” The last few moments of that track, with a melody that suddenly shifts from loss to hope, are simply breathtaking. If you can find the proper setting in which to get lost in the album’s vast musical landscape – a long, solitary walk outdoors is best – I highly suggest you do so.

Although Wodensthrone is relatively new to the scene (they’ve released a couple of splits prior to this), I can confidently say that Loss is a better and richer experience than some of the albums released this year by more seasoned acts. It’s better than Wolves in the Throne Room’s Black Cascade. Better than Drudkh’s Microcosmos. It doesn’t top Blut Aus Nord’s Memoria Vetusta II (not only my favorite black metal album of the year, but probably the decade), but it certainly belongs in the same elevated sphere. Look for this near the top of my year-end list – and if you’re any fan of the genre, it’ll likely be on yours as well. Simply magnificent.

Alas, this is no Cobalt, but more Caina, and I simply cannot get into this mush mash of ritualistic/ experimental/pagan black metal that simply never gels or delivers songs that stick despite the high levels of ambition the duo display. It’s like they want to be new age Enslaved and deliver a progressive take on mystical, neo-folk and experimental black metal, but it just never works.

Admittedly, things get of to a bad start (not including the spoken word/spell intro “Gnosis”) with “A Dangerous Wayfaring” with its grating chants and the scattershot, choppy riffage that never finds any sort of fluidity-a hall mark for the rest of the album, including following track “Hidden 93”. At this early point in the album, though rather annoyed by the material, I’m still trying to give the band a chance though, a chance that is blown by “Bypaths to Chaos”- a seven minute foray into industrial clanking, yells, samples, FX and programming that was beyond grating. “A Past Forgotten” tries to pull me back in with a more traditional, 10 minute take on somber, doomy, neo-folk black metal and “The Abraxas Trance” has some Emperor and Ulver pulsing amid its sloppily delivered march, but by now I’ve pretty much made up my mind about the album. Which is a shame as the acoustic number “The Shores of New England” is a nice little acoustic number and “Heathen, Heretic, Scapegoat” is a solid, almost pagan metal hymnal-but it’s too little too late and if the best tracks on the album are an acoustic number and a piano instrumental (“The Black Silence”)-that’s not a good thing.

I hate to be the negative Nancy amid all the praise for Domination and Servitude and feel free to call me out on this review that seems to be going against the grain, and check the band out for yourself.  But in my opinion, thankfully Bindrune has Blood of the Black Owl for their occult/ritualistic black metal, as Cold Northern Vengeance, at least to me is a grating exercise that comes across as Enslaved’s ambition, ideas and hues colored in clumsy crayon rather than finite pastels with presence and skill.

While my ‘Wrest tripping balls in the forest’, still stands as an apt comparison, Chet Scott appears to have taken some hits from a peace pipe and connected with the spirit world as well as injecting the expected ambience, shoegaze and doom into his blackened, transcendental musical outlet. If Brown Jenkins was Cthulhu’s blackened drone mouthpiece, then Blood of the Black Owl is the spiritual angst of mother nature and The Great Spirit.

Fuzzed out guitars lope and drone amid tribal simplistic drums laced with injections of organic ambiance and Chet’s grizzled chants (plying lyrics written by Daniel Ellis Harrod) for 63 minutes of introspective, mystical music . From lengthy introduction of the chanted “Spell of the Elk” which leads right into the stern march of “Crippling of Age” through the hypnotic “He Who Walked Away From the Fire & Laughed As He Bled” (the section that starts at 3:43 is mesmerizing), steady march of “Void” (which is initially the album’s harshest track before the church organ drenched mid section and ritualistic closure), to delicate and somber acoustics of “The Melancholy Article”, the album is a truly captivating and hypnotic journey into another spiritual realm without spiraling into depression. Just listen to “Unattainable Vistas of Our Remembrances” and rangy closer “Journey of the Plague Year” to hear the deft evolution in the chord structures and progressions from malevolence to a more introspective ambivalence that Blood of the Black Owl has subtly made between albums.

Less malevolent, paranoid and ‘icky’ than the debut, the aptly named A Feral Spirit seems to be a more deliberate, tempered and personal record that looks to heal wounds and soul search rather than open them up and drag you into an emotional abyss. And that is a welcome development to the genre, and I hope the development continues for the next album.

No pseudonym is necessary here as Chet’s project, Blood of the Black Owl, finally delivers a take on doomy depressive black metal that deviates slightly from the suffocating psychosis of his peers. What we have here is still, disturbing and nervous doom gaited black metal, but with a tangible Stoner lean, especially in guitar tone. Now don’t get me wrong, the first time I listened to Blood of the Black Owl with headphones on at bedtime, I had wretched nightmares (seriously), as the draining, lengthy tracks are still fraught with tense paranoia, but its’ less clichéd and insidious and more organic.

The mournful drone of opener “Kills The Timber” immediately cements the stoner aspect of BotBO, but Chet’s pained and often barely audible wails and moans remind you this is no Dazed and Confused trip, and the track’s dramatic, howl laden turn at around the 7:20 mark is stifling and disturbing, like a trip gone bad. The wolves continue their haunting serenade for the start of “The Thunderous Hooves of Two Goats in the Sky” which continues the hazy delirium. Now, the 13-minute “Drinking the Blood of a Lion” and “Like a Coffin Chasing a Womb, His Chariot Becomes a Southern Bloodstorm” sees a tangibly more malevolent atmosphere prevail, sounding like the Disembowelment inspired tones that Azrael (the USBM act on Moribund) might ply. The atonal lope of “Uwwalo”, slows things down even more and its mid song tribal break is downright haunting and “Hammer Comes Crashing Down” sees Chet become far more upfront with his strained wails amid the dramatic, almost Viking/Bathory on barbiturates drone. Closer “A Coven of Vultures” (another 13 minute track), is a draining, droning affair that cements the albums laborious, dread inducing fog that left me feeling truly ‘icky’.

Ultimately, Blood of the Black Owl’s, 70 minute duration with its thicker guitars and hazy malevolence, ends up sounding like Malefic or Wrest tripping balls in the forest, but wont leave you open wristed and insane but red eyed and deliriously paranoid.