Summoning more than any other band underline my theory that, far from being misanthropic scions of anti-human violence, the vast majority of black metal enthusiasts are Tolkien-obsessed, multi-sided-dice rolling geeks. This is NOT meant as a slur – after all, I am firmly within this camp myself – yet the enduring popularity of a band so entrenched in unashamed fantasy mythology does go some way to supporting this outlook. Indeed, remove the fizzing guitars and echo-drenched vocal wails from the mix and I’d argue that this music has much more in common with the soundtrack to a late-90s computer roleplaying game than anything to do with metal.
I – and many others – have always had a soft spot for this Austrian duo. Their full-blooded enthusiasm for all things Tolkien-flavoured, the unashamed absurdity of their photo shoots, the total commitment to fashion-defying synth-drenched soundscapes, all of this has granted them a place in my affections. That they have crafted some genuine anthems throughout their career (particularly on the stellar ‘Dol Goldur’ album) has of course helped somewhat.
Yet there’s a nagging doubt. Their last album ‘Oath Bound’ was released in 2006 and, decent though it was, there was a sense that their wholehearted commitment to their sound was starting to wear slightly thin. Seven years have passed since then and things have moved on even further than Summoning’s heyday. In these times of pastoral ambient drone, jagged discordant post-black metal and BestialKaosWarmetal, can Summoning still stand tall?
Early signs are promising. The cover art is AMAZING, instantly casting the mind to a world of ancient forests and rearing mountains, of heroes, strife and fell sorcery. The intro brings a wry smile to the face – Elven whispering and typically over-the-top tinkling with some outrageous bursts of synthesized choirs. It’s not subtle and it’s not particularly realistic sounding but that has never been the point of Summoning – theirs is a sonic palette of bright, technicolour hues, painted in broad strokes and bombarding the senses with layers of billowing keyboards and desperate screams.
‘Flammifer’ then enters stage left and it’s like putting on an old pair of slippers, albeit stirring slippers. It’s a great opener indeed, the stomp of the drum machine and the buzz of the guitars accompanied by some strident synth orchestration. The album title track follows with some evocative narration and effective clean vocal choruses that are pleasingly grandiose.
Business as usual for Summoning then I guess – but it really isn’t that exciting. After seven years, there’s a feeling that we are treading over well worn ground, that nothing has changed. At all. The synths, the relentless guitar fizz, the reverberating drum stomp – these are exactly (and I do mean EXACTLY) the same sounds that we heard as far back as 1997’s Dol Goldur.
The rolling, extended chord progressions that are so central to the Summoning sound are here and they are great of course (‘The Wandering Fire’ is an exercise in epic writing) – but even these feel rehashed. Even the songwriting sounds recycled. And when they break out the synthesised parping two minutes in ‘Caradhras’, the nostalgia shot is jarring and not in a good way. Let’s face it, some of these sounds are awful – they may have been able to get away with it in the mid-90s when they were in their teens and only had a Casio PT-20 to hand. But for men in their thirties, it doesn’t wash. You’d hope they could at least afford a set of half-convincing orchestral samples – if it’s deliberate, it’s bit of a lazy nod to the past designed to bring knowing smiles to existing fans. If not, well, it’s just a bit sad.
Fans will of course argue that I am missing the point – that they don’t WANT the band to change, that the whole essence of Summoning is as a trip down memory lane, a carefree, unfashionable appeal to the Tolkien-geek that lurks in so many of us. I’m not buying that, though. I’m not suggesting they reject everything they stand for but there needs to be SOME development, some sense of evolution, some ambition – otherwise what’s the point in releasing a new record?
Somewhere along the road, somehow, Summoning have been left behind.
Quaint, nostalgic, twee even – these are not words that I believe Silenus and Protector really want to hear in conjunction with their art. Nevertheless, I’m afraid they are the most appropriate way to summarize this album. It’s a shame as I really wanted to like this – however, having heard virtually everything here before on records released by these very same people fifteen years ago, it can only rank as a bit of a disappointment.
(6/10 Frank Allain)
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