The return of the unlikely union
Damnum Animus, the one man band from North Carolina, experiments once again with the unlikely union of classical instrumentation and traditional black metal. The previous EP I reviewed by Damnum Animus was a confident delivery of 'sombre classically-inspired black metal' with a clear atmospheric focus, and he has clearly not abandoned his calling on this single.
Because of the small amount of time that passed between the release of the EP and his next single, it's tough to not hold the two up against each other. Monotonous drumming was among the main points of critique in the past, but "Forgotten by the Waves" is substantially more varied. The theme of multiple layers of classical instruments is a recurring one, with his traditional black metal vocals rasping in the background so as to sound like you're hearing them through a veil of frosty mist.
Because of the small amount of time that passed between the release of the EP and his next single, it's tough to not hold the two up against each other. Monotonous drumming was among the main points of critique in the past, but "Forgotten by the Waves" is substantially more varied. The theme of multiple layers of classical instruments is a recurring one, with his traditional black metal vocals rasping in the background so as to sound like you're hearing them through a veil of frosty mist.
"There's a more epic feel to it, trading off with the dusky approach usually associated with the genre."
This time around Damnum Animus aims a little higher and confidently embraces the classical elements, moreso than previously. There's a more epic feel to it, trading off with the dusky approach usually associated with the genre. The band's distinct sound prevails and is as easily recognisable as ever. There is little doubt as to who is composing.
The classical instruments, from violins to piano, are obviously sequenced on a computer which takes away a fair deal of the authenticity from the compositions. But all in all Damnum Animus is an evolving project, and he's clearly not afraid of taking risks and trying out new elements. There's a fair share of run of the mill black metal bands out there, and the world surely doesn't need another. While "Forgotten by the Waves" isn't as such a breakthrough achievement of modern music evolution, it's at least not boring.
The classical instruments, from violins to piano, are obviously sequenced on a computer which takes away a fair deal of the authenticity from the compositions. But all in all Damnum Animus is an evolving project, and he's clearly not afraid of taking risks and trying out new elements. There's a fair share of run of the mill black metal bands out there, and the world surely doesn't need another. While "Forgotten by the Waves" isn't as such a breakthrough achievement of modern music evolution, it's at least not boring.
6/10
Released in 2011 independently
Links
Damnum Animus on BANDCAMP
Damnum Animus on FACEBOOK
What did you think about Damnum Animus' Forgotten by the Waves?
Damnum Animus on FACEBOOK
What did you think about Damnum Animus' Forgotten by the Waves?
No comments:
Post a Comment