EP REVIEW: Split – Almyrkvi / The Ruins Of Beverast

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST and ALMYRKVI are two bands that are at the absolute cutting edge of the black metal scene. Whether it’s the progressive, almost primordial style of the former of the much sharper and equally atmosphere drenched nature of latter, both bands are arguably the most impressive acts within the international scene, legitimately pushing the genre to its darkest and most visceral outer reaches. Naturally, a union between these two bands in the form of a split release proves to not only be one of the more memorable records of the year, but also a masterclass in how to create noxious and engrossing music.

Asomatous Grove opens ALMYRKVI‘s portion of this release, and sets an excellent benchmark for the rest of the record. Combining haunting keyboards and soaring lead hooks to craft a huge, atmospheric sound right out of the gate. Monstrous, bellowing vocals carve through the mix, punctuating the darkly sublime quality of much of the music with a dense, primal edge. The music slides seamlessly between slick and melody driven guitars and much more savage, forceful moments, providing a diverse and powerful start to the record that doesn’t disappoint.

Managarmr, with its much thicker, groove-laden sound, matches its predecessor in terms of bombast, but underpins these aspects of the bands sound with robust rhythms and a much murkier tone, imbuing this song with an aggressive and caustic side that helps elevate it significantly. The vocals, likewise, possess a much weightier sound which blends well with the substantial music, making this song sound like an absolute juggernaut.

THE RUINS OF BEVERAST‘s first contribution to this record, The Grand Nebula Pulse, an epic, magnificent offering with some beguiling, chanted vocals that immediately draw the listener in, intermingling with a heady ambience, adding a vast, hypnotic aspect to this song. Whereas ALMYRKVI went for the jugular with much of their music, THE RUINS OF BEVERAST opt for a more slow burning approach, with minimalist, hazy guitars and primitive percussion gradually slipping into the fray, lending this track the air of a psychedelic Viking war chant. It’s a fantastic, monolithic number that genuinely pushes the boundaries of blackened doom. Hunters picks up where the previous song left off, shifting focus from ambience to more traditional blackened doom. Although “traditional” is used in only the loosest sense of the term; the visceral marriage of jarring chords, tight drumming and arid vocals give this a more grating sound, with a brilliantly sepulchral tinge to the production that only serves to make this particular track seem foreboding and claustrophobic.

This is an amazing record that showcases two bands that are not only at the very peak of their creativity, but also expanding the capabilities of their respective genre. Rather than being a couple of throwaway numbers that didn’t quite make the cut for each bands most recent records, as tends to be the case with the material on many splits, it’s clear that a lot of thought and effort has gone into shaping each of these songs, with each of the four songs assembled here being stand out tracks in their own right. Whether you’re a die hard fan of either band or a relative newcomer to their music, this is a record that is more than worth checking out.

Rating: 9/10

Split is out now via Ván Records.

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