Harvest – Alb blessing
Origin: Switzerland
Release: 07.04.2023
Label: Vendetta Records
Duration: 49:51
Genre: Black Metal
Just a year after my celebrated debut album spirit and witchcraft and an additional EP, the duo serves us HARVEST from the land of good chocolate and neutrality the next Black Metal hate ball.
According to the band, they still have the traditional idea in mind and are based in Albsegen to another rite of magic and witchcraft of this world. I already liked the raw mood of the album on the debut and I am therefore curious if this will also be the case with their second work.
The intro right away Albsegen creates an eerie atmosphere Witch N. whispers, croaks some kind of prayer or spell and is accompanied by somber noises. So the direction of march for the rest of the album is heralded, the following seven tracks are classic Black Metal as you wish it in your wildest dreams. As with their debut, the Swiss set their main focus on typical Black Metal guitar riffs and massive drum salvos. It’s no time for experiments, just for the ancient art of the darkest of music genres.
The direction of march shows: Black Metal, Black Metal, Black Metal!
Especially the song Vacant Thoughts and Radiant Blackness stands for the previously described values. Witch N. croaks in her inimitable way and the initially sluggish rhythm degenerates into a bursting rage attack. Queen Warrior convinces with its well-structured songwriting and the shimmering guitar riffs V.Black. The sound has an aggressive coldness that goes through marrow and bone. The two know exactly what they want, uncompromising songs that capture the spirit of the second Nordic black metal wave.
Additionally, the band varies with the melodies, creating different levels of emotion. Here is Chaotic Visions with its majestic character, probably the defining song of the album. The guitar riff, with its cyclic return, creates a psychedelic ascent of a high mountain, which, however, becomes insurmountable because the slowness won’t let you progress. Great song! The followed by the eerily beautiful Apocalyptical Dissolution one of the best two tracks on the album.
An ode to 1990’s black metal
Finally, I can once again praise the moving sound of the album. The gripping mood of the songs is ideally captured by the permanent reverberation in the vocals and the raw production is exactly what this kind of Black Metal is all about. Here was in the Priory Recording Studios in the UK and guitarist Black.V very good job done. Vendetta Records have at harvest again had the right nose.
Conclusion
harvest catch up with their follow-up album Albsegen picking up where they left off on their debut. Merciless classic Black Metal with a keen sense for the art of tempo changes. On this album, even the excessive, doomy moments appeal to me even more. In the end, however, everything is very convincing and I have a 9 / 10 wert.
Line Up
V. Noir – guitar, drums, bass
Witch N. – Gesang, Violine, Bass
Tracklist
01. Albsegen (Intro)
02. Phantoms
03. Eye of Oblivion
04. Vacant Thoughts and Radiant Blackness
05. The Revenge
06. Queen Warrior
07. Cutting the Stars From the Sky
08. Chaotic Visions
09. Apocalyptical Dissolution
Links
Facebook harvest
Bandcamp harvest
Also on Soundmagnet.eu
Editorial recommendation – Heiden – Black Metal from the Czech Republic
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