ALBUM REVIEW: Forbidden Knowledge and Ancient Wisdom – Grand Celestial Nightmare

Mories is arguably one of more impressive musicians with the extreme metal scene. Rising to prominence in recent years as the mastermind of blackened noise act GNAW THEIR TONGUES, the man has been in more bands and released more albums than it’d be possible to list here. This year alone, he has released three albums for three bands, the first two being THE SOMBRE and PYRIPHLEGETHON, both of which are brilliant albums in their own right. The sophomore GRAND CELESTIAL NIGHTMARE record is the third. Forbidden Knowledge and Ancient Wisdom is a fantastic piece of symphonic black metal that is sure to impress die hard fans of the genre, whilst adding Mories‘ characteristic experimentalism into the mix.

Drink from the Chalice with Nightly Lust is a solid, mid-paced start to the newest GRAND CELESTIAL NIGHTMARE offering, with tight guitar and drum hooks, complemented by acerbic howls and bombastic keyboards, which lend a huge, ceremonial quality to what is an otherwise fairly straightforward slab of black metal with a few brief, chaotic flourishes thrown in. It’s a good, measured way to ease the listener into the record, and sets the tone right off the bat.

Black Mouth Echoes with Death has a much more energetic approach, with more urgent, punk-esque drumming and slick, melodious lead guitar working building on the foundations laid on the albums opener. The keyboards provide a palpable ambience into the mix, giving the music a grander sound that acts as a great contrast with the bestial vocals. The momentum gathers even further with Speared Servants of the Jehovah, a decidedly cacophonous and unhinged track with a feral edge and faster tempos, pushes this albums scope, at least as far as the guitars, drums, and vocals are concerned, to perhaps their most intense so far, with the aggressive bent of the music rarely easing, with even the symphonic accompaniments from the keyboards injecting an animated aspect to the song. Upon the Back of the Beast We Ride sees the vocals, rather than the musicianship, become fiercer, with the deliveries on here being particularly venom-soaked and dense, utilising gutturals in lieu of wraith-like shrieks at times, resulting in a thicker overall sound.

Tombs of Marble and Stone kicks off the records second half in monolithic fashion, with vast chords on the guitar and keys, along with a more percussive drumming style, creating a cavernous feel, reverting to the punchy, classic metal inspired guitar work that characterised the opening track on the album, albeit with livelier keyboards. As Bewildered as the Cursed Night sees the grandiosity of the reach a new level, with the guitars and drums being noticeably reserved in order to allow the full magnificence of what is occurring courtesy of the keyboards be fully appreciated. It’s a far more upbeat number than the ones the preceded it, with a few, baritone spoken word sections cementing it as one of the albums stand out track with a cinematic air. The spritely nature of this track is carried forward into Drain the Spirit with a Silver Knife, punctuated by a few darker, dizzying motifs and the acidic snarl of the vocals, making for a track that is simultaneously punchy and layered, fully displaying just how fantastic symphonic black metal is when it’s done right. Split Tongues has some great, catchy riffs, powerful keyboard sections and thunderous, domineering drums, that all make for an expansive sound on all fronts, with even the vocals appearing to have a larger presence and a clearer delivery, bringing the album to its conclusion in a great way.

Although this album bears a lot of similarities, both stylistically and in terms of production, with its predecessor, 2016’s The Void of Death, there are a few marked improvements on this one. The production is noticeably more polished, which allows all the subtle elements at play on this record be more prominent. Furthermore, the keyboards compositions on here are far more imaginative, providing plenty of excellent hooks, whereas the first album tended to use them solely to add an ambient atmosphere. Alongside PYRIPHLEGETHON‘s Gales of Atrocious Whispering, GRAND CELESTIAL NIGHTMARE have released one of the more impressive black metal records of the year so far, and further cements Mories‘ legacy as one of the most talented minds in underground music.

Rating: 9/10

Forbidden Knowledge and Ancient Wisdom is out now via self release.