There has always been something phenomenally engaging about French black metal bands(Blut Aus Nord, Deathspell Omega, Peste Noire, etc..) and Aosoth is no exception to the rule. It wasn’t until 2011 when I first heard their full length Variations Of Violence that I became remotely familiar with anything pertaining to this band. After its inception, I was instantaneously hooked and had been eagerly awaiting their next full length. That time is fast upon us in the form of IV: Arrow In Heart, which astonishingly enough is by far their deepest and most captivating work to date.
From the moment the album begins you are drawn into a looming atmosphere that lurks within every subsequent track thereafter, creating an air of mystery atop a methodology of rampant decay. Clean acoustic passages grace the spaces between the fevered pitch, allowing the melody to be truly captured before subjected to the previous discord. It’s these small touches that embrace the positive influences of early black metal artists at their core, while still retaining their own experimental sound that is executed to blackened perfection. A balance that is immediately felt within the track “One With The Prince With A Thousand Enemies,” through visceral shifts amidst a blistering brood and intricate melody that showcases classic influences supported by a modern context. While tracks such as “Under Nails & Fingertips” are more so reminiscent of the latter, with blinding blast beats unleashing a full on assault that is in lieu of traditional stylings to further state the band’s eclectic influential background. The standout track by far has to be “Ritual Marks Of Penitence,” through whose 14 minute droning notations scathe along an ever present doom that holds its presence unknown until the fleeting moments of the track as it fades from all dissonance upheld.
For fans and newcomers alike, Aosoth creates an absolutely brilliant offering through a fusion of traditional old school black metal with experimental doom passages and acoustic accompaniments. IV: Arrow In Heart is available April 16th via Agonia Records, grab your pre-order here.
New Comments