ALBUM REVIEW: Drakonian Elitism – Ofermod / Black Altar / Acherontas

OFERMOD, BLACK ALTAR and ACHERONTAS are all bands that have a long and confirmed legacy that places each of them at the heart of the modern black metal scene at this point in their careers. Whether it’s OFERMOD‘s lean, aggressive take on melodic black metal, BLACK ALTAR‘s equally belligerent and forceful sound, or the bombastic, epic approach of ACHERONTAS, these three bands all possess a sound that is distinct and well established. Joining forces for the Drakonian Elitism split, they all show that even when it comes to releases that are often overlooked by the majority of music fans, they are every bit as creative and impactful as they are on their most well known records, creating an eclectic and powerful musical statement that’s every bit as good as many other bands’ most celebrated work.

OFERMOD offer up the first four tracks, with the ritualistic Intro setting a sinister tone for this record. Vinum Sabathi is a ferocious way to start proceedings properly, with angular leads, frenetic drums and coarse vocals creating an incredibly focused and dark slab of black metal with a rabid edge, making for a song that is harsh but exceptionally tight. Agios Ischyros Belial is incredibly animated, with thunderous drums and searing guitar work crafting a more muscular and domineering sound than the preceding song. The abrasive vocals match this chaotic, melody-driven sound, contrasting the razor sharp, punishing tone of the music with a sense of urgency that makes this feel intense, with powerful backing vocals coming in during the second half, along with chunkier rhythms, to completely shift to a different but nonetheless vicious style.

Atavistic Chants Of Levitation – a shorter, punchier affair than the rest – proves to be extremely grandiose, coupling the atmospheric sound of the opener with a lighter, more accessible guitar sound and steadier tempos which, when coupled with sonorous, chanted vocals, lend this an epic sound that is underpinned by a visceral backbone, bringing this part of the record to a close in an inventive fashion.

BLACK ALTAR‘s portion of the record begins with a hypnotic, foreboding piece of music in the form of Via Draconis, a fairly long and ponderous track with loads of biting hooks, pummelling percussion and throaty vocals. It matches the aggression of the first four songs with ease whilst feeling more unhinged, with a grating production that, although quite polished, accentuates the jarring musical undercurrent. In The Labyrinths Of Sithra Achra has a meatier, slicker sound, with huge chords, energetic drums and commanding vocals all contributing to a cacophonous sound with an unflinching focus and ethereal elements, courtesy of minimalistic, cleaner guitar flourishes, tempering what is arguably one of the album’s most rabid efforts with some beguiling touches.

The Oracle Of Divine Madness takes the previous track’s formula and develops it further, with the drums and vocals taking on a caustic aspect, and a more measured approach to the guitars creating a palpable atmosphere that is punctuated by disjointed, eerie licks that add to the fierce undertones, making for a more layered and immersive sound than the outright aural assault of the last two songs. This section of the album is closed with Outro, a spartan yet imposing instrumental that eschews the ferocity of earlier offerings in favour of a bleak, dramatic ambience.

Although ACHERONTAS only contribute two songs to the record, they do an excellent job of matching the ferocious musical benchmark that both OFERMOD and BLACK ALTAR have set. The first, Intra Psyche, is a brooding and incredibly sharp piece of music that blends tight rhythms, haunting ambience and powerful vocals, with soaring melodic riffs and dissonant bursts of intensity which punctuate this track and make it feel harder and more vitriolic at points. For the most part, it’s a slow-burning, mid-paced monolith, with a warmer sound in comparison to what has come before it.

Astra Magia, the final, lengthy number that brings this album to a close, is perhaps the most minimalist track on the whole record. It’s built around a fairly repetitive electronic sound, with only whispering, eerie vocals providing any kind of variety, lulling the listener into a hypnotic state. It’s a radical departure from the weightier, more visceral songs that came before it, taking the music completely outside of black metal whilst adding to the overall effect of this record, and bringing proceedings to a close in a subdued manner.

It could be tempting, from the perspective of any band that features on this or any split, to just use these kinds of releases to get rid of some of their weaker material, as they have a smaller audience than full-lengths, but the music that OFERMOD, BLACK ALTAR and ACHERONTAS have contributed to Drakonian Elitism is incredibly strong, and in some cases could have sat well alongside their more celebrated material, whilst making plenty of room for grandiose touches and musical experimentation. Another massive upside to this is that, although each of these bands are entrenched within black metal, each portion of this record feels distinct from the rest, rather than having each band blur into the next as is oftentimes the case on splits, where bands with similar styles and influences independently create tracks that are interchangeable from each other. It’s probably one of the better splits to come out of black metal in recent years, and further establishes the already undeniable talent of each of the bands involved in its creation.

Rating: 9/10

Drakonian Elitism is out now via Odium Records.

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