Blood Of The Black Owl - A Banishing Ritual
Blood of the Black Owl are an atmospheric doom metal band. They don't try to crush and overwhelm like funeral doom does (although they music is crushing), there are no growls, no lyrics of loneliness and depression as gothic doom metal has, and they don't have that monotonous, gravelly vocal tone that stoner doom has. The music is mostly instrumental and one, big continuous flow. There isn't even a single named track on A Banishing Ritual, but that doesn't hold back the album at all. The music is fresh and although it carries the traditional doom metal style, pulls enough strings to keep its head above the rest.
Starting off with "Movement 1" is an atmospheric mist, opening with a very long buzzing drone section before going having the guitars chime in (literally chime in) and increase louder and louder before a creepy drum section comes in. There's other elements of ambiance throughout the album such as a tribal flute and distorted vocals that accompanies the music wonderfully and makes the CD sound like more than just an average drone doom album. "Movement 2" is a rhythmic crusher that is not unlike the first in the sense it is built around long, drawn out chords, simple drumming, and interspersed moments of creepy ambiance created by keyboards and barely audible whispers. The chords eventually come back in to crush everything but a single guitar chimes in with the rest to keep the haunting melody intact.
"Movement 3" is more of a drone doom track that just buzzes over and over before a wailing, distorted snarl comes in. It's unfortunately a sad departure from the beauty of the earlier track, but holds the creepy atmosphere. "Movement 4," the final song, is the quietest track on the album. For the most part of the song there's only a few guitar and bass notes amongst the dark vocals that murmur on and on like a Satanic minister. Near the end of the song the vocals get more psychotic and louder, as does the music which sounds more and more disturbing as it climbs towards its crescendo. In the end the listener is left with a disturbed feeling that makes them feel like they've witnessed something horrible, or perhaps miraculous. Fans of Sunn O))), Krallice, Xasthur, Jesu, and Neurosis will appreciate this album.
Originally written for The Metal Forge.
Starting off with "Movement 1" is an atmospheric mist, opening with a very long buzzing drone section before going having the guitars chime in (literally chime in) and increase louder and louder before a creepy drum section comes in. There's other elements of ambiance throughout the album such as a tribal flute and distorted vocals that accompanies the music wonderfully and makes the CD sound like more than just an average drone doom album. "Movement 2" is a rhythmic crusher that is not unlike the first in the sense it is built around long, drawn out chords, simple drumming, and interspersed moments of creepy ambiance created by keyboards and barely audible whispers. The chords eventually come back in to crush everything but a single guitar chimes in with the rest to keep the haunting melody intact.
"Movement 3" is more of a drone doom track that just buzzes over and over before a wailing, distorted snarl comes in. It's unfortunately a sad departure from the beauty of the earlier track, but holds the creepy atmosphere. "Movement 4," the final song, is the quietest track on the album. For the most part of the song there's only a few guitar and bass notes amongst the dark vocals that murmur on and on like a Satanic minister. Near the end of the song the vocals get more psychotic and louder, as does the music which sounds more and more disturbing as it climbs towards its crescendo. In the end the listener is left with a disturbed feeling that makes them feel like they've witnessed something horrible, or perhaps miraculous. Fans of Sunn O))), Krallice, Xasthur, Jesu, and Neurosis will appreciate this album.
Originally written for The Metal Forge.
- Intent (Movement 1)
- The Statement Of Wil (Movement 2)
- Chant Of The Captured Spirit (Movement 3)
- The Final Banishing (Movement 4)
Bindrune Recordings
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
May 17, 2010
May 17, 2010
Next review:
Enforcer - Diamonds
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