Arctic Horror – “Blackened Corpses Sickened Minds”
In this blistery, snowy season the last thing we need to be reminded of is this “Arctic Horror.” But as this band is from Antarctica, (where half my family is from, I’m half-penguin, you see) we’ll give them some leeway.
(Editors Note: Our CD reviews are often written months in advance, frequently even before the bands have written the songs. This review was written January 21, 2014.)
This band has Greg on vocals last heard with the intense and sparse metal band, Mob Hit, that rode the razor’s edge between metal and hardcore. We think of him as one of the most formidable singers on our website. I remember, before the Midway got their new sound system, that some singers would have a hard time being heard there. But Greg came in to play and slayed everyone with his powerful, harsh but melodic vocals.
Niff is on guitar and we know him from a few bands but here he seems to get a chance to really shine- shooting out metal, thrash, doom, psychedelic slabs of sound- whatever the doctor ordered or the song requires, effortlessly and with taste.
I see “crust, death doom, metal, psychedelic, thrash” on the tags for their bandcamp.
I’m gonna go with thrash/hardcore with lots of doom in their music and a dash of psychedelia.
They describe themselves as “East Transylvania Fang Rock from 1750.”
And with that I think they may be right on the money! Let’s give a listen.
“Frozen Cries” starts off the album with a cold, wintry, icy swirling sound skating across the speakers. Then the song kicks in and the intensity quickly brings the temperature to a boiling point with the singer’s fierce exhorting vocals and the drummer’s tribal beat call to war. “I won’t be the one/ To set the frozen cries.” This song explodes into a dense, passionate storm of fury with the guitar screaming and growling along. A small breakdown happens toward the end while the guitar grinds like an industrial machine gone berserk over an unrelenting beat. This song is equal parts thrash, industrial, hardcore and together form one hell of a song.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/01 – Frozen Cries.mp3|titles=Frozen Cries]
“Black Robes Rising” starts with some clawing, frantic guitar before a bellowing long yell announces the start of this thrashing song. “No more victims/ No more fear/ Black robes rising.” We keep barreling into the abyss until the mood and rhythm suddenly change and with doom-y Sabbath chords leading the way. The song jump starts again with a great, squealing metal solo over a thrashing beat and from then on the song accelerates into ecstatic madness, with the band giving every ounce of passion and excitement they or we can handle. Excellent ending to an excellent tune.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/05 – Black Robes Rising.mp3|titles=Black Robes Rising]
“Pit Of Despair” starts off more like a traditional hardcore song with the vocals right in from the first beat and the vocals and rhythm section trying to match each other in intensity. Then the song has a long doom section led by the guitar with occasional psychedelic licks protruding out righteously in the sound. After that the guitar riffs start getting faster, the drums build in intensity and before we know it we’re propelled head first into bliss once again.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/06 – Pit Of Despair.mp3|titles=Pit Of Despair]
“Ride High,” starts with a thrashing, snare hit for every beat while the guitar wields an array of psychedelic wah-wah licks like a fellow juggling swords. The vocals come charging in with intense declarations leading into an effective shout-a-long chorus. After a few verses in comes a beak-down that starts off doom-y until the guitar trills along creating a wall of sound for the vocals to leads us on to the promised land of musical euphoria.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/08 – Ride High.mp3|titles=08 – Ride High]
There is some arty stuff on this CD, I think, but nothing ponderous or boring like the majority of progressive or experimental music turns out to be. This band uses different elements, different influences to create one of the most original styles on our site and create a more than worthy one at that.
As I put another log in the fire, as I put another log in the toilet. As I log into my facebook account. As I delete all the unnecessary and unpleasant facts of life. As I change my password, as I change my outlook on life, as I change my underwear as well. As my identity is stolen, I change my persona also. As I check if I have e-mail. As I check off if I’m male or female. As I text, as I take things out of context. As I empty the trash-bin on my computer, the trash-bin of my life, the trash-bin of my mind…
Let’s just say Arctic Horror is a great, new band.
And leave it at that.
(Slimedog)
