PARAMNESIA / UNRU - Split (Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions - LP 2014)
I understand that many orthodox black metal maniacs feel rather disgust toward this thing called “post black metal”, but personally I think that this is one of the best stuff, which happened to this music. It brought a lot of new ideas, new atmosphere and feeling, new perspectives… a sort of freshness within the old, obscure and rotten box of black metal. OK., I understand that this wave of “post black metal” – whatever the term “post” means… - is also a place, where hundreds of desperate, pitiful and sad kids found their room and that is just hilarious, but I don’t give a shit. Most important is that there are many great bands and fantastic albums, which they have released. French record label Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions is one of such places, where you can find several bands from this style of music. I do admit that not everything what they have released so far was in my musical taste. I didn’t like such Pensées Nocturnes or Way to End, but I certainly have enjoyed Regarde Les Hommes Tomber and The Great Old Ones, which was especially worth attention and fantastic. And now Les Acteurs de l'Ombre Productions introduced me to two new bands and I am satisfied again. They’re called Paramnesia and Unru. One is French, another German and both are totally unknown, and here they share a vinyl release, with one lengthy song from every band.
And you know what? I have listened to both bands several times now and I cannot decide which one I like more… both are just fuckin great. Both can be labeled as post black metal or whatever, but let’s just call it simply black metal, OK.? Both are oriented towards long instrumental passages, careful and patient building of the tension and atmosphere, in both you’ll find some atmospheric passages, some almost kind of hipnotising parts, but they are always mixed with some rough, more aggressive and harsh, fast black metal moments. And obviously in case of both bands, the vocals are entirely black metal howls, except the ending part of Unru song, where there is a long recitation (which again fits perfectly the whole atmosphere of the song). There are similarities to many bands – starting from the classic Burzum through Lunar Aurora or even Dornenreich, Helrunar, Secrets of the Moon, Blod Aus Nord, and so on and on and on… And also to these killer post rock sludge metal bands such as Isis, Pelican, Neurosis, Russian Circles (mainly in Paramnesia though, as Unru is more purely black metal oriented)... This is great music in general and I truly feel amazed by both bands from this split. I love such playing, especially when you listen to it in the freezing coldness of the night, coming back from work to home. That loneliness and darkness around are like perfect surrounding for such sounds. So, I really recommend you getting this split. Personally, as a vinyl collector, I will definitely try to get myself a copy as well.
Final rate: 85/100
And you know what? I have listened to both bands several times now and I cannot decide which one I like more… both are just fuckin great. Both can be labeled as post black metal or whatever, but let’s just call it simply black metal, OK.? Both are oriented towards long instrumental passages, careful and patient building of the tension and atmosphere, in both you’ll find some atmospheric passages, some almost kind of hipnotising parts, but they are always mixed with some rough, more aggressive and harsh, fast black metal moments. And obviously in case of both bands, the vocals are entirely black metal howls, except the ending part of Unru song, where there is a long recitation (which again fits perfectly the whole atmosphere of the song). There are similarities to many bands – starting from the classic Burzum through Lunar Aurora or even Dornenreich, Helrunar, Secrets of the Moon, Blod Aus Nord, and so on and on and on… And also to these killer post rock sludge metal bands such as Isis, Pelican, Neurosis, Russian Circles (mainly in Paramnesia though, as Unru is more purely black metal oriented)... This is great music in general and I truly feel amazed by both bands from this split. I love such playing, especially when you listen to it in the freezing coldness of the night, coming back from work to home. That loneliness and darkness around are like perfect surrounding for such sounds. So, I really recommend you getting this split. Personally, as a vinyl collector, I will definitely try to get myself a copy as well.
Final rate: 85/100
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