Night Shall Drape Us – Lunatic Choir
Night Shall Drape Us – Lunatic Choir
Season Of Mist
26/04/24
Running Time: 40:13
Review by Oli Gonzalez
8/10
A new entrant into the Black Metal market and latest to emerge from Finland’s seemingly never ending production line of quality Metal bands, Night Shall Drape Us, are on the eve of their full length album “Lunatic Choir”. A seemingly new and relatively unknown entity in the world of music, especially if the band’s social media presence is anything to judge by. With that being said, Season Of Mist have a keen eye for talent and must see something in the band. A band spearheaded by the one known as simply LHR. The creative force and genius enlisted the support of others to bring the band to life and onto our stages. Now it’s time to bring the album to life and into our eardrums…
Sombre. Melancholic. Some adjectives to describe the opening passage to ‘Hymn Of Rebellion’. With a subtle use of tactical dissonance, this builds the necessary tension to really feel the atmosphere and intensity from when all instruments come raging in, like a loaded spring uncoiling. You have to admire the guitar tones in the latter stages. There is a good variation in texture and dynamics too, more deliberate and slower grooves through to blistering blast beats. With that being said, the production does feel a little thin and undercooked. Nonetheless, a good start to “Lunatic Choir”.
No intro to ‘Dead Eden’ though, just straight into that furious intensity, intensity with a very traditional Old School Black Metal flavour. My ears are becoming adjusted to the lower production values it would seem, and now it’s clear what they mean by ‘uncompromisingly raw’. I haven’t mentioned the vocals yet but they’re simply fierce, sitting in the mid-range growling domain…and it’s wonderful! The song features more stunning guitar riffs which are quickly becoming the foundation for Night Shall Drape Us All’s sound.
‘Ethereal Constrictor’ comprises a much slower considered attack, with the riffs ploughing along steadily yet mercilessly, much in the style of Satyricon and Behemoth. This song also introduces an interesting use of cleaner backing vocals, angelic in a darkened way but adding much welcome depth and dimension to the overall aesthetic. Nothing steady in ‘Ashes Of Men’ though, as the band decide to increase the intensity and speed several notches. This fierce, uncompromising, old school black metal at its apex.
With this being said, when it came to both ‘Unification’ and ‘Lunacy and Horror’, it did appear that the album was losing momentum and things are becoming repetitive and, dare I say, stale? It’s one thing to offer a traditional sound and approach, and whilst you don’t need to reinvent the wheel, blending the best of the past and more modern innovation is a combination that’s hard to beat. This is perhaps why I’m personally so drawn to Post-Metal bands in the style of Ultha, Fen, and Gaerea. Will I begin to hear any of this in the last two songs?
Well, we get something pretty special in ‘Under The Dead Sky’. This is a piece drenched in raw atmospherics and emotion! This is achieved through the return of the cleaner vocals, and introduction of a much slower ambient mid sections, providing much needed respite and variety. This is paving the way towards what is going to be a glorious crescendo. What a crescendo it is! This closing passage is dramatic and demands to be played on full volume. You can’t not feel the emotion in the vocals of Spellgoth. This time, not of anger or ferocity, but instead of anguish, sorrow, and when placed above the stunning Blackened Melodic soundscape, it truly is addictive. I rewound this multiple times! It’s a delight, and easily the strongest song on the record, one that belongs on a Black Metal playlist.
Then finally, ‘The Queen of the Red Streams’. This takes a much more deliberate and considered approach to composition, prioritising good old fashioned grooves and rhythm rather than blatant balls to the wall intensity. It feels as though there’s a more experimental and progressive approach, especially with the changes in dynamics and non-conventional song structure. This is when I think the band are at their strength, when they take this approach, and one I’d love to see more in future releases. Still with some of the traditional Black Metal elements. Just not being too reliant on them. For you see, all the raw ingredients are here on “Lunatic Choir”. With some fine tuning and more time to cook, this could become a real contender in a stacked genre.
TRACKLISTING
01. Hymn Of Rebellion
02. Dead Eden
03. Ethereal Constrictor
04. Ashes Of Men
05. Unification
06. Lunacy and Horror
07. Under the Dead Sky
08. The Queen of the Red Streams
LINE-UP
LHR – All music and instruments / Live drummer
Spellgoth – Vocals
Infection – Vocals/ Live Guitar
Wraath – Vocals/ Live Bass Guitar
Vexd – Live Guitar
LINKS
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