Beats and yelling: Amorphophallus Titanum

The First GeometryOut 26th April, self-released Somewhere between the arcane mysticism of formative Greek black metal and the barbaric militarism of early Graveland sits this self-released debut. Richly textured keyboard lines dominate the landscape, leaving the guitars to flesh out a more visceral physicality, with ponderous, mid-paced drums furnishing all with a threateningly understated momentum. The solid marching rhythms maintain an almost anthemic quality throughout, an effect offset by the delicate balance found between the thick layers of synth and the cold haze of guitars, resulting in a symphonic effect truer to the spirit of ‘In the Nightside Eclipse’ than its many professed imitators, in that no single instrument adopts a leading role, behaving more like an orchestra moving in unison. The mix is attuned to the atmospheric equilibrium required to bring this material to light. Guitars work chiefly as a textural entity, chord sequences and sharper riffing acting as mere forms…