Insane Vesper has been on my auditory radar for a bit now. Mainly brought to my attention was the album Abomination of Death, that cover artwork and logo just intrigued me from the get go, I decided to delve further and see what the music had to offer, checked a few audio clips and was further enticed. As we all know, life, other projects, other music happens and they sort of fell by the wayside. When the opportunity arose to review this, Layil, the latest release through Art of Propaganda, I knew I could not pass the chance to be exposed further to this France based outfit.

First things first, I’m a bit bummed that a new logo is on the cover or rather a non logo. It’s a simple font of the band name but the artwork a woodcut, an etching of sorts, like a page torn from an  ancient grimoire, it’s  different but intriguing. Its more subdued and not all satanic and evil. The words spoken by the band be the writings and verses from this ancient tomb of spells. Hence I feel, this gives a different representation for the music, which is a good thing because it’s the vehicle that carries this deeper into your soul.

The music is more dramatic and more mood driven, it’s not all kult bedroom black metal. Shades of Secret of the Moon and touches of Watain come to mind when listening to this.The album starts off a bit different and not very black metal like with the beginning of the song “Blood of the Moon”. It seem to be almost post black metal in its approach, as if the band was purposely luring you to a different form of blackness, leading you away from one abyss to another of their making, but at around the 4:00 minute mark it begins to coalesce and more familiar sound takes place. Not familiar in a basic typical black metal album but more in the sound itself.

“Of Serpents Embrace” continues the same approach, drawing you deeper into their spell. “Seed of Inanna” is really representative of the aforementioned bands sound. New vocalist Vanitas has a lower pitched growl and more of a deeper representation and fits the mood of the music with its more subdued pacing. Listen to “Scorned Ascension” and you will get my drift immediately. Such a dark energy from this more moodier riffing and with the slower rhythmic start and mid song about the 4:00 min mark the song picks up a pace to end the song on that note. As I further delve into this I am reminded of the darkened pulse of Samael’s Ceremony of Opposites, I wouldn’t say the exact same level but we are beginning to see the formation of that evil ritual in the IV sound.

“Sink the Ark of Knowledge” has such energy and dynamic with drummer A.L making his presence known and also marking his recording debut with the band. The song ends with a acoustic outro of sorts that reminds me of something from Led Zeppelin, imagine that. “The Circle” ends the album with another entry of diverse mood and elements. Starts fast, then mid song goes more mid paced with some excellent riffing  and time changes. The album as a whole maintains this constant interplay throughout the album and is welcomed because you don’t want to get too bored or have another typical black metal release on your hands.

Much like the earlier review a bit back, off the latest from Lux Ferre and also from bands like Schammasch and Farsot (Hey guys!, release a new album already!) we are beginning to see a new, well, maybe not new necessarily but a welcomed growth of black (dark?!) metal bands that incorporate mood and atmosphere and a different form of darkness instead of satan, necrogoats and beheaded christs all the time.

[Visit the band's website]

---

Comments