Respects must be paid to Belgian Enthroned for managing the delivery of a 10th full-length album, all but easy considering the band’s tormented history and the recent health issues of frontman Nornagest: he wasn’t able to perform live for a long time and also had to delegate part of the songwriting to the new entry ZarZax, due to a tendinitis. The album we are going to review here, Sovereigns, is not a recent issue, but nonetheless deserves a few words, as it certainly reflects the effort of creating something good and experimental, in a certain measure, merging the different styles of composition.
The result is noteworthy, especially as regards the first half of the album, blessed by a thick and ashy ambiance, supported by the ceremonial stride of ZarZax’s riffs. Outstanding work has also been done on the drums by Menthor, whose performance is valued by an excellent mixing that treasures and polishes every single cymbal, avoiding the blur of blast beat that often disguises a mediocre drummer. As regards the lyrical fil rouge, the tracks are nicely connected quoting a variety of demons that impersonate the narrating voice of each track. Sweet choice.
“Sine Qua Non” is probably not the best track on the platter, aggressive but quite regular black metal. The next “Of Feathers and Flames” is much more interesting, featuring some crazed solos and Nornagest’s peculiar voice in a distraught, dirty and thrashy version, rather unusual for black metal. “Lamp of Invisible Lights” breaks the already ravenous rhythm, whilst remaining a deeply disharmonic and disturbing song, of an unsettling beauty that seems to fit better with the frontman’s voice faintly overdubbed at times. “Of Shrines and Sovereigns” also ventures alternative trails, sampling a sort of sinister Gregorian chant on Nornagest’s feral screaming. “The Edge of Agony” hits hard on badassery, on a devastating guitar assault and painful bass lines. “Divine Coagulation, Baal al-Maut” and “Nerxiarxin Mahathallah” seal the album in a frantic and violent way that, as appreciable as it is in terms of energy and speed, obviously suffers the shortage of truly capturing ideas that often affects this brand of extreme metal.
There is no doubt, weighing the musical and technical quality of each track, that we are in the presence of a truly valid album; now the challenge for Enthroned will probably become to convey different ideas and visions, some of which have already emerged in Sovereigns, to blend an univocal and recognizable sound again.
Notes:
Sovereigns was released on April 15, 2015 on Agonia Records in digipack CD, black vinyl and two limited and hand numbered editions: bone-white winyl with green splatter (100 copies) and special box CD (333 copies) including the new album released in exclusive jewelcase format, embroidered patch (8cmx10cm), flag (42cmx59.4cm) and a lighter with band's logo.
The result is noteworthy, especially as regards the first half of the album, blessed by a thick and ashy ambiance, supported by the ceremonial stride of ZarZax’s riffs. Outstanding work has also been done on the drums by Menthor, whose performance is valued by an excellent mixing that treasures and polishes every single cymbal, avoiding the blur of blast beat that often disguises a mediocre drummer. As regards the lyrical fil rouge, the tracks are nicely connected quoting a variety of demons that impersonate the narrating voice of each track. Sweet choice.
“Sine Qua Non” is probably not the best track on the platter, aggressive but quite regular black metal. The next “Of Feathers and Flames” is much more interesting, featuring some crazed solos and Nornagest’s peculiar voice in a distraught, dirty and thrashy version, rather unusual for black metal. “Lamp of Invisible Lights” breaks the already ravenous rhythm, whilst remaining a deeply disharmonic and disturbing song, of an unsettling beauty that seems to fit better with the frontman’s voice faintly overdubbed at times. “Of Shrines and Sovereigns” also ventures alternative trails, sampling a sort of sinister Gregorian chant on Nornagest’s feral screaming. “The Edge of Agony” hits hard on badassery, on a devastating guitar assault and painful bass lines. “Divine Coagulation, Baal al-Maut” and “Nerxiarxin Mahathallah” seal the album in a frantic and violent way that, as appreciable as it is in terms of energy and speed, obviously suffers the shortage of truly capturing ideas that often affects this brand of extreme metal.
There is no doubt, weighing the musical and technical quality of each track, that we are in the presence of a truly valid album; now the challenge for Enthroned will probably become to convey different ideas and visions, some of which have already emerged in Sovereigns, to blend an univocal and recognizable sound again.
Notes:
Sovereigns was released on April 15, 2015 on Agonia Records in digipack CD, black vinyl and two limited and hand numbered editions: bone-white winyl with green splatter (100 copies) and special box CD (333 copies) including the new album released in exclusive jewelcase format, embroidered patch (8cmx10cm), flag (42cmx59.4cm) and a lighter with band's logo.
| Tracklist: 1. Anteloquium 2. Sine Qua Non 3. Of Feathers and Flames 4. Lamp of Invisible Lights 5. Of Shrines and Sovereigns 6. The Edge of Agony 7. Divine Coagulation 8. Baal al-Maut 9. Nerxiarxin Mahathallah | 01:24 06:02 04:42 06:19 04:17 03:36 04:26 05:10 04:27 40:23 |
Personnel:
Nornagest: Guitars (lead), Vocals (lead, backing), Lyrics
ZarZax: Guitars (rhythm)
Menthor: Drums
Phorgath: Bass
Neraath: Guitars (lead)
Text by Arianna
arianna@unholyblackmetal.com
Nornagest: Guitars (lead), Vocals (lead, backing), Lyrics
ZarZax: Guitars (rhythm)
Menthor: Drums
Phorgath: Bass
Neraath: Guitars (lead)
Text by Arianna
arianna@unholyblackmetal.com