Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Crimson Altar - MMXVII (2018)


The time has come to light the black candles and let the ritual commence, for Crimson Altar has arrived from Portland, Oregon and they will be leading the incantation with their newest release "MMXVII". They put out this demo in preparation for their upcoming full-length (due later this year) and if this is any indication of what's to come then they wield a shadowy power that may yet rule over us all. Crimson Altar is a wellspring of murky female-fronted doom metal with occult leanings and a sound that evokes the mystique of a spring night in Transylvania. There's an almost otherworldly duality here between the dusty riffs that feel like they're crawling out of the crypt and the fresh, nearly spiritual air that the flute and two acoustic guitar passages bring. The combination will leave you enchanted by the unnatural twilight and you may find yourself in a manic trance singing praises to Pan under the light of the full moon. Atop this are the bewitching vocals invite you to submit to your wicked inclinations and welcome the gloom of night as your mistress - and you'd have to be a fool to refuse. I'd say the band owes more to Bedemon than Blood Ceremony, but you can definitely hear the influence of both. So when you're ready to commit your heart to the darkness, you're going to want to check this out! -Brandon


No comments:

Post a Comment