Black Metal has so many forms, and to be honest to state that you don’t like the genre would be painfully wrong. I have been lucky enough to be able to gain enjoyment from almost all areas of the genre, from its most raw creations right through to polished Blackgaze records of sheer technical and ethereal bliss. So what is Black Metal, how can one describe such a vast genre in just a few simple words, who knows, I guess to me the purest, most true form of the genre would perhaps be Darkthrone or Mayhem but that might be different to others, none the less its vast, and I’m waffling.
Veiled rise from the ashes of Gnosis Of The Witch who found critical acclaim in 2014 with the EP Dauðr Burðr þrysvar. The once American duo have since recruited a third member and expanded into a new project under the name Veiled. This album Black Celestial Orbs is the bands debut and comes cascading from the shadows through the almighty Iron Bonehead Records. With the album being recorded in Stockholm, Sweden can the traditional Black Metal notes be heard?
To start off there is a definite motto for this album, simple but effective. The beginning notes of Luminous at first seem tired, over done, traditional and dull but evolve as the track develops into a well rounded Black Metal song with respect for its roots. A Lo-Fi amateurish nature is found in the vocals which lends a strangely modern twist to this atmospheric wonderment. The modern tones are carried again in the clean guitar riffs of Enshrouded, elevating this album above a state of mediocre worship.
The absolute crowning element in Black Celestial Orbs however is the two part title track. A long winding progression of darkness, power and beauty, traditional yet inspiring and atmospheric and not at all boring. The second part of the title track is almost sadly the most interesting element, its slower more mellow edge backed with a spoken word outro is like a welcome relaxation therapy from the prior destruction, well written and presented but sadly exposing the previous tracks are somewhat standard in places.
So is Black Celestial Orbs a mind blowing journey of Blackened might, not really. However it is enjoyable and has its moments, I wouldn’t go too crazy for this release but it has peaked my interest in the bands next direction, as a debut it offers a lot of branches to build from which can only lead to an eventual evolution for Veiled.
(6/10 George Caley)
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