Here we have some nature-worshipping black metal from Greece from a member of Sad, as well as a bunch of other bands. How does this material differ? Well, for one thing it's a mostly mid-paced effort with a lot of melodic tremolo-picked riffs that soar like the mountains and forests they write about. They absolutely nail the imagery-to-music ideas, and you can almost "see" these riffs. I'd call that a success. The vocals are absolutely wild, high pitched wails that reek of insanity and pain, almost literally. It sounds like he's being stabbed while singing, or maybe his nuts are caught in something. Either thing would cause a scream like this, honestly. All jokes aside, they're unique vocals that take a second or two to digest and to become accustomed. The band is quite good at building textures in their songs, often with one guitar doing something completely different as an overlaid melody, and they build up these textures slowly over the length of the songs. This isn't my favorite style of black metal, but I recognize talent where I see it, and these guys have it. Worth a listen.
Tuesday, June 23, 2026
From Distant Hills--...and Whispering Trees (CD) (2026 Purity Through Fire Records)
Here we have some nature-worshipping black metal from Greece from a member of Sad, as well as a bunch of other bands. How does this material differ? Well, for one thing it's a mostly mid-paced effort with a lot of melodic tremolo-picked riffs that soar like the mountains and forests they write about. They absolutely nail the imagery-to-music ideas, and you can almost "see" these riffs. I'd call that a success. The vocals are absolutely wild, high pitched wails that reek of insanity and pain, almost literally. It sounds like he's being stabbed while singing, or maybe his nuts are caught in something. Either thing would cause a scream like this, honestly. All jokes aside, they're unique vocals that take a second or two to digest and to become accustomed. The band is quite good at building textures in their songs, often with one guitar doing something completely different as an overlaid melody, and they build up these textures slowly over the length of the songs. This isn't my favorite style of black metal, but I recognize talent where I see it, and these guys have it. Worth a listen.

