NIGHT SHALL DRAPE US is a brand new Finnish black metal horde, featuring in its ominous arsenal the vocals of Wraath (Behexen, Beyond Man, Dark Sonority, Darvaza, Fides Inversa, Mare, Ritual Death), the musical arrangements and instrumental performances of LRH (Bythos, Horna, Black Death Ritual), the vocals of Spellgoth (Black Death Ritual,Horna), Infection (Behexen, Bythos, Horna) and the guitars of the later-joined Vexd (Caestus, Lux Morti). In short, a new supergroup of established musicians we all know well from their past endeavors.
And although they are familiar to us, in the band’s debut full-length album, “Lunatic Choir”, another side of the aforementioned artists seems to come to light. Here, LRH records all the guitars and drums, conceives the whole concept and compositions. Later the full power of the band is unleashed when he is joined by his brother Spellgoth and the rest of his like-minded souls in spreading the dark sound, and soon after together as one they invoke from the depths of hell a work that becomes flesh of his dark visions. What emerges is an album that is both predatory and infused with aggression and torture, as well as finely crafted, dynamic and primal.
Starting with an intro of ethereal acoustic guitar melodies, the
opening track “Hymn of Rebellion” quickly turns into a furious
anthem with driving guitar melodies and fast drums, along with
thrash riffs and relentless vocals from Wraath, leaving an
old-school aftertaste.
Throughout the rest of the album, you can hear heavy traditional
blasts and guitars from the thrash and black metal early eras –
something that isn’t really anything new under the sun as a sound,
but I think it will be quite pleasing to the ears of most black
metal fans.
And while it doesn’t make any sensational discovery in the sound itself, there are some findings on the album that will make a strong impression on you. One of them are LRH’s beautiful solos – catchy riffs that stick in the mind (the solo at the end of “Ashes of Men”, for example, and more). Although he is an amazing drummer, here the musician expands his talent even further and that in itself is a huge sight for a music fan who follows the work of musicians with interest. To see a drummer put together an all-star band from scratch and create entire compositions on his own, and be charged with a such enthusiasm like LRH’s, definitely doesn’t happen often enough.
Also, where else could you hear Spellgoth, Wraath, and
Infection’s vocals in one place? In each of the tracks, the three
vocalists conquer the space together or individually with their
lunatic absolutely tearing vocals, against the background of
distorted and sometimes atmospheric riffs, and the combination is
precisely this fascinating lunatic choral performance, fully
justifying the name of the album.
Each musician brings out the best of himself, expressing a
different emotion in each of the songs, perfectly describing their
meaning, and in places the soundscape is more tortured, with
more relentless drums and thrash riffs (“Hymn of Rebellion”, “Ashes
of Men”, “Dead Eden”) , and in others – an absolutely
manic experience, enveloped in black metal cruelty, rises to
the fore.
Particularly fascinating are the songs in which the colder,
majestic and ominous atmosphere of the album reigns – the closing
“Under the Dead Sky” and “The Queen of the Red Streams”, which for
me are the ruby in the crown of “Lunatic Choir”. On “Under the Dead
Sky” the vocals are absolutely searing, emotionally charged and
veer between total fury, divine majesty and ritualistic ecstasy,
while the strings and drums contribute to a massive heavy and raw
atmosphere that makes the song fly away fast like a sparrow
chased by a hungry golden eagle.
Infection is an amazing vocalist and in the last two tracks his
potential as such comes out in full force – I’m telling you right
now, you haven’t seen him in this skin before. If anyone has
listened to any of his old and now split-up bands – Sotajumala for
example – one knows how high he can go as a vocalist, but here…
here Infection fully erupts with his vocals like never before in a
soul-crushing and inimitable fury that helps these tracks to
sound especially authentic and primal, and seem to fill the
entire space with its ferocious energy.
About the final song “The Queen of the Red Streams”, the band
shared some time ago: “We traverse the arteries of timeless tunnels
towards the illusory veil of life and death. Mesmerized by the
eternal dance, we submit our lives to cross the veil. She shall
reap all that is false and set us free.” Well… In addition to the
song’s intent being highly enlightening and at the same time dark
and poetic, “The Queen of the Red Streams” is also a powerful
ending. on “Lunatic Choir” – from melodic riffs with blast beats,
the song moves through ethereal acoustic melodies only to reach
enigmatic and strong vocal hauls , accompanied by 90s
riffs, finally sinking abruptly into silence.
Complementing and accentuating each others bright talents, NIGHT
SHALL DRAPE US bring out in the world one
dark and impactful debut opus whose frenzied lunatic choir is
ready to overwhelm your senses effortlessly with its nods to the
90s, its interesting guitar work, thrash metal banter and erupting
black metal energy, melted into the embers of eight darkly lurking
anthems.
Hear some of the tracks below:
Album: “Lunatic Choir”
Band: NIGHT SHALL DRAPE US
Release Date: 26.04.2024
Label: Season of Mist Underground Activists
Pre-order link: https://shop.season-of-mist.com/list/night-shall-drape-us-lunatic-choir
Mother of THE VOID.
Underground music is the ultimate weapon against mediocrity.
