Creeping out of ancient crypts are 5 sinister, initialized figures from Germany here with a debut album of Vampyric BM. With just two demos previously to their name there’s a lot at “stake” as well as the scope for me to add plenty of bad puns to this review. They would be a target for them too if this was all necrotic high squawking vocals and passages of tinny dungeon synth but we have been warned not to actually expect nostalgic romance here and the maturity and strength of the songs on offer are a much more serious proposition. With an opening intro and just one short intermediate track the bulk of the material comprises of 6 somewhat epic numbers and there’s plenty to sink your fangs into here.
‘Bloodspell Of The Ancients’ follows a gloomy piano piece and is hurled out the tomb with blastbeats pounding and a feral hunger to the vocal bite. However, as we venture onwards there is a surprising cleanliness about the vocals and lyrics are in English and nearly distinguishable as they are cast amidst the burgeoning instrumentation. Keyboards are subtle, adding to the melody and once blood has been exsanguinated it is evident this coven are not opposed to taking their finger off the pumping pulse and are actually happy to let blood flow and coagulate after the initial welter of gore. As the melody and vocals spread their contagion into ‘Light Of Death’ I am somewhat reminded of sadly deceased countrymen Secrets Of The Moon around their ‘Seven Bells’ era. The hypnotic rolling drums give it a suitable glamour in the process, somewhat mesmerising the listener as it moves to a slower crawl among the tombstones seeking fresh prey. Moving between passages that are macabre and eerie to bursts of blistering speed these self-professed ‘Tomb Lurkers’ provide both atmosphere and extremity into their art and although shrouded in a certain amount of anonymity strike as having been around the block a few times rather than freshly risen cadavers. The band that they probably resemble the most with songs such as the windswept hurly-burly that is ‘Altars Of The Past’ is Dark Fortress to my ears. This is a really triumphant and vitriolic number with a guitar dervish that also has a bit of Drudkh about it and is, if you just picked one track to listen to, a fast and furious rampage of a number.
With a claim to ‘Vampyric Dominance’ at the end and a confidence that harks to established elders of the scene it is well worth watching what this lot get up to in the shadows in the future. This one really could have gone either way and been a bit ‘Twilight’ but there’s thankfully no hint of glitter here, only supreme immortality and the stench of death.
(7.5/10 Pete Woods)
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