One of many things that has kept me into black metal for such a long time is the variety the genre has to offer. You’ve got the typical/default sounds of the bands who shaped the genre from Norway and beyond, then there are the ones with an emphasis on atmosphere and melody while retaining the genre’s satanic image and aesthetic.
But it is always good to come across bands who pay tribute to the thrash metal and punk-related roots of the genre by mixing in the right level of speed, agility and overt anger which helped create black metal. By this I am referring to Germany’s Darkmoon Warrior, a group who have been going for almost 30 years and I only just discovered them with their latest release: Graveyard Planet.
The impression I had from this release when I put it on was something along the lines of Adorior meets The Casualties. A fun mix of intensely pristine black metal blasting with the catchy battle cry-style vocals that you’d expect from a decent punk tune made a delightful opening.
As the tunes progress, you are treated to some lovingly chaotic putridity which fits well with the album’s title, showcasing the all-out nihilism of the band. Hard scale misanthropy is what I’d call the overarching theme of this album – accepting that there is no real meaning to life however much we put meaning to it, and we’re all destined for the same thing in the end.
A great deal of metal is known for being full-on nihilistic in the most openly violent manner such music can be, so this was a fun reminder of just how evil said nihilism can sound. I’d say Darkmoon Warrior are one of the more primitive acts on the German scene today, so do check this piece out if you enjoy fast tempo black metal with strong but not too advanced musicianship and lyrics that remind you of just how meaningless life can be.
(7.5/10 Demitri Levantis)
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