Here is an interesting little 5 song, 30 minute EP from a Canadian black metal band who clearly are influenced by Sear Bliss. I say that because at the front and center of all the PR material for this release is the highly touted use of French Horns which play a major part in all 5 songs to great effect.

The rest of the music is a fairly standard, tremolo picked, Scandinavian black metal not dissimilar to fellow Canadians Ordoxe, (down to the shrill vocals) but maybe with a little more folky/pagan aura (i.e opener “Eurocide”). That said, without the French Horns (and occasional flute, both courtesy of Annie Perrault), this would be a pretty average release, as the French Horn-less moments are middling to solid black metal alone.

But French Horn there is, and when front and center they really add something . It’s not in continual use, but scattered around the songs here and there as heard on 8 minute standout “The Apathetic Plague”, the blistering “Ode to A Martyr”,where the Horns add an austere, regal element to the otherwise frosty proceedings. Or even closer “Curative Undulations” where it gets little more bluesy and lounge-y, but in a good way. The horn ann flute also fits the bands themes of past heritage,  cultures and environmental decay plaguing the modern world.

In all, a promising little EP, though I’m not sure what kind of impact the band would make if stripped of their French Horn. But still they are there and used well and I assume will continue to be used for future efforts that i will be keeping an eye out for.

[Visit the band's website]

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