Greek multi-instrumentalist Ayloss is a busy chap, already well known for his work with Spectral Lore and Mystras among many other projects, his flame burns bright. Here he has a brand new project and one where his intention is to return to “old school extreme metal aesthetics”. Words such as “hostility,” “frost” and ‘venomous” are mentioned in the description we are provided with and that is just what is needed to get anyone interested in black metal without frills, gimmicks or deviation interested in this. I doubt much more is needed by way of introduction so let’s plough straight in.
And that is exactly what we do on the opener of these five tracks ‘Voice Of The Gleaming Edge.’ The drums are crushing blunt-force-trauma here, absolutely bashed within an inch of their skin at a pulverising blur of speed. Everything else is impacted by their assault but gradually one can hear feral screams in the background along with a medieval sounding melody from the guitar. Its somewhat faint and one wonders if the drums are going to keep up the blitzkrieg through the whole 40-minute album. Thankfully this is not quite the case but it is certainly an uncompromising force here. As the blur kind of allows some fixation on other aspects, the jubilant swagger is more evident. There’s a gung-ho attitude about this and one noticed prior in Mystras. There is also a sound very much like violin weaving away, one example of things that we wonder if we are really hearing through the course of this journey. Having battered down the hatches, so to speak the monster of an opening shot drops drumming completely, giving us an intriguing and mystical sounding sense of calm before the next track Molten Gold, which is the complete opposite side of the 1st track. Crushing still, but doom filled and without any of the speed that proceeded it. The change of pace is curious and unexpected but allows melody to shimmer through. At 10-minutes this one sets sights on stun and repetitively sets out to mesmerise the listener at first and one gets the feeling of planet formations over that great settling mist within. Its construction is weighty, seems to last aeons but is always interesting. Vocals roar as background here too and when they rise amidst a cacophony of what sounds like brass, possibly a sax in the background and the drums thwack in again, the whole impact is devastating. This is a pure injection of madness before the medieval twists and austere backing vocals jubilantly chant back away. There’s definitely a feel of ancient tribute being played out; Bathory one such example in evidencing the olden ways.
The title track thrusts in angrily and the combined forces densely furrow away like a pitched battle is taking place. Blood-thirsty cries, crashes of steel present the castle walls are well and truly stormed. The intoxicating melody suggests this could be somewhere like Palestine and we are in the midst of The Crusades, it’s definitely another world and time we have been thrown headlong into the midst of. Haunting nostalgia next with another lengthy number ‘Ancient Corridors’ to traipse down slowly and cautiously. It’s sombre and again spectrally enhanced by what sounds like a saxophone. Moving from fluttering guitars to another industrial barrage from those drums this one has the best of both worlds and is missing nothing except the burning oil; mind you that might be in there somewhere too! It’s left to a short ‘Mass Of Ice’ to take us out and pick heads up off the floor. There’s so much been going on here it kind of leaves you feeling stupefied. Although this has taken a few listens it finally sunk in and what a glorious album it has proven to be. Mission achieved and hopefully another project that Ayloss will continue to explore in the future.
(8/10 Pete Woods)
Leave a Reply