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Nothing too original, but a very tight recording full of solid Black Metal.-
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| Rev 16:8: Ashlands |
Black Metal
AFM Records
June June 14th, 2011
- Agenda - 4:28
- Ashlands - 5:07
- Blackline Sundown - 3:03
- A Study of Patterns and Habits - 2:16
- The Chase - 5:00
- Serenade - 4:25
- Rust Retinal Vein - 6:25
- Coal Mirror - 5:04
- When Your Words Are Obsolete - 3:32
- Leave Me - 2:20
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| Review Information |
Release length: 42:32
Review posted on June 11th, 2011
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| | Overall Score: 8.5/10 |
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| Discography |
Discography covers all information available up to day of review and is updated if future albums are reviewed. |
| Full-Length(s): |
Grand Tidal Rave (2009) • Ashlands (2011)
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| Review |
"The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, which then was allowed to burn people with fire" is apparently the citation behind the name of this group. Rev 16:8 is a Stockholm, Sweden based Black Metal act that recently signed to AFM Records to issue this incarnation's second full-length recording, Ashlands. While this band name has been in existence since 2008, the band had gone under the names Bloodshed, which formed in 1999 and issued a two EPs and a full-length, and Scythe, which was the group's first incarnation and only issued one demo recording under that monicker. With some decent feedback strewn across the web about their debut full-length under this title, Ashlands marks the second album through a label that will expose the group to a great Black Metal crowd, but it may not be enough to pull them from the shadows of the underground.
Sadly with Ashlands, there's not really that much of a unique approach or sound. Rev 16:8 presents an album that, right from the start, sounds like plenty of other blast beat driven modern Swedish Black Metal acts, suchas Marduk. Of course, this isn't to say the material found on Ashlands is bad, it's just nothing all that new. The general atmosphere of the album is your typical sinister vibe, and most songs have a decent amount of variety to them that varies between traditional Black Metal compositions in a more stylish manner with a dark, evil atmosphere that typically transitions well in and out of a more furious and sinister faster, blast beat driven modern approach. This is set up well with the start of the album on "Agenda" and the title track "Ashlands", as both of these songs incorporate music that sounds as sharp as razors piercing the flesh during the greater moments of speed-induced intensity, while the slower elements of these songs can bring in a blunt, soul crushing heaviness to the final mix that will leave listeners practically begging for more.
Aside the general atmosphere, these songs, as well as plenty others on here, clearly have a good amount of energy, but it's handled in a more professional manner. The music on this release is executed well from start to finish, and has a high enough impact that the adrenaline of the band is felt without the energetic joy of playing the music being felt at the same time, being very serious from start to finish. The general production is about what one might expect from an act that plays a more modern Black Metal style. The audio sounds rather clear, though still has a bit of a muddy vibe to it that aids in making the songs sound crushing, though the distortion can give the music a razor's edge like pointed out earlier. The vocals have a decent distortion tacked on at times as well during some of the slower parts in songs, such as the track "A Study of Patterns and Habits", which is a slower moving track that feels more like an interlude with deeply distorted and echoed vocals that come off as spoken word, but at the same time derived to sound rather evil in comparison to the clearer commanding rhaspy approach that wails and groans with authority in each track. Those vocals can also have some echo effects used on them at times, and it does help to make the rich music seem even thicker.
All of this leads to some really powerful tracks that just capture that aggression and venomous rage that the Black Metal style has to offer. "Rust Retinal Vein" has plenty of changes between the furious faster pace and crushing slower elements that make the song like a jerk-filled roller coaster ride you'll want to take again and again. Of course there's also "Agenda" which find's the entire song to be more blent and aggressive, even during the faster moments, leaving that razor sharp feeling behind for a pounding, venomous assault on the listener. But of all the songs on this release, it's "Coal Mirror" that shows the full potential of the group. The music feels both melancholic, but as if it were also asserting it's authority on the listener. The furious pace and performance really leaves the listener feeling battered and bruised as the track hammers away relentlessly from start to finish with all it's pent up anger that you could feel has been pent up throughout the release. This track easily personifies the band and what they can bring to the table beyond what Ashlands gives us.
While Rev 16:8 give us another strong entry into the Swedish Black Metal assault of modern day, it's not all that unique from the many others that exist today. It is, however, a solid release that blends melancholy with commanding chaos, and for that it does shine proudly in the sea of bands that play this modern style of Black Metal. Each track on here stands tall with the only real gripes being the sudden knee-jerk ending to "Blackline Sundown", as well as the slower, spoken word entry "A Study of Patterns and Habits" which does it's job well to break up the madness, but feels a little too drawn out. Overall, there's nothing to really complain about, and the band does put on a very serious performance that feels energetic, but masked with a very tight and professional delivery in it's performance from the violent start to grim, melancholic ending on "Leave Me". If you have yet to experience Rev 16:8, then there's no better time then with Ashlands, especially if you're a fan of this brand of Black Metal, or just the style itself.
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Digital review copy of this release provided by:
AFM Records
via Earsplit PR.
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