Negative-Existence - ALATYR "Alatyr" CD

ALATYR "Alatyr" CD
[Slain001]

~~$11.00~~ $7.70

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Artist: ALATYR

Title: Alatyr

Format: CD

Country: Slovakia

Genre: Black Metal

Record Label: Candarian Demon Productions

Depressive and Melancholic Pagan Black Metal with Ambient influences from Slovakia. For fans of Burzum, Wigrid, and Vinterriket.

Tracklisting:

1. Alatyr (Intro) 04:29
2. Burka 08:36
3. Popol 07:36
4. Priepast 07:38
5. Hviezdy 07:32
6. Prazdnota 06:13
7. Transylvanian Hunger (Darkthrone cover) 06:24
Total playing time 48:31

Sounds:

Review:

Every now and again I find myself in the mood for music that is bleak, forlorn, and misanthropic. Hell, even if the lyrics ain’t about those topics, well composed music in that style can be a dismal self induced bad acid trip filled with enough paradox to be beautiful and horrific. Fitting into a despondent niche with bands like Silencer, and Shining is Alatyr.

The self-titled debut by Alatyr is a mystical marvel of mid paced music backed by occasional ambient breaks. A portent sense of melancholic disaster taints each thoughtfully composed track, but each song has a grandiose vibe. This seems to be accomplished by contradictory arrangements where the instruments play with and against each other. The guitars match the drums, but the notes played spiral making the music almost uplifting via an epic tone. Although the double kick is a bit too loud in the mix, the adroitly programmed drums do their part splendidly by providing slow and mid tempo rhythms that keep each song depressively crushing.

Following a similar pattern with the drums and guitar is the keyboard. The play of this instrument is never in the forefront (Except on the sorrowful ambient track “Prazdnota.”). Yet, it adds to the music in a barren bliss exquisite enough to have listeners popping ecstasy before slipping their heads into a noose.

Among all the instruments my favorite is the vocals. What makes them standout in the mix is how they almost seem to be situated in the background. This gives the throat a howling effect making the screams sound like they are languidly wandering the frozen hallway walls of an asylum built into a massive catacomb. The result for the listener is frightening in that one feels chased, but not by a homicidal maniac. No, this killer is ones sense of helpless emptiness, and no escape exists in the self inflicted tormented mind.

‘Alatyr’ is a wonderfully abysmal recording. Its grim lyrical themes reflect skillfully composed music that is enrapturing for all human senses, and ambient passages compel contemplation. Most of all, Alatyr proves that a band need not shred riffs at 200BPM to be a high quality Black Metal band.

By Mike Lidia

This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 14 January, 2009.

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