Review: Arkenstone - Hymns to our Fatherland | |||||||
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Hymns to our Fatherland | |||||||
Label: A.M.F. Productions Year released: 2006 Duration: 37:59 Tracks: 6 Genre: Black Metal Rating: Review online: October 1, 2007 Reviewed by: Lars Christiansen |
Readers' Rating How do you rate this release? Rated 5/5 (100%) (2 Votes)
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Review | |||||||
Black metal bands have gone to many lengths to try to be the most low-fi and extreme ever, way beyond the use of 4-tracks with the treble whacked up to eleven, but I think Arkenstone have actually taken the biscuit, and frozen it into an icepop. I went on record a while back saying Striborg's earlier releases were possibly the most treble-filled and low-fi I've ever come across, however since adding 'Hymns to our Fatherland' to my collection, I believe Striborg have well and truly been usurped. I swear to you, every time I listen to this release through headphones (even at a sensible volume I might add), I believe a small part of my hearing is eroded away forever. Similarities to having teeth drilled aside, Arkenstone play an ancient, filthy brand of black metal, which utilizes enamel-removing, treble-saturated guitars to maximum effect, ensuring to wear away those last few nerve endings in your ears. Throughout a couple of tracks, there's occasionally a use of a strange clean chorus effect on a second guitar which picks out notes in rhythms alongside the main guitar, but for the most part, it's a double impact of distorted mid-to-slow paced bleakness. Tzaboath's vocals are equally as harrowing, you can hardly pick out any lyrics at all through the over-distorted shrieks, bloodcurdling screams and howls of desolation. Whilst this isn't exactly up there with the greats of black metal, I certainly found it kept my attention for more than a few spins thanks to the great dark ancient feelings it exudes, and the occasional interesting piece of riff structuring (not to mention the crazy over-blasting of trebly frostiness which just has to be heard to be believed). Not one for the black metal dabbler by any means. |
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