In 2016 the many new "black metal" releases of trendy ambiance, depressive and post-sounding music, leave less and less room for the more natural and classic hate riddled black metal. Arkona, on the other hand, has delivered a release in Lunaris that not only calls to the Polish black metal of old, but encrusts the epic-sounding anguish in a frostbitten, flesh decaying wonder, that only the peeling cutaneous flakes reveal the hard born tradition easily forgotten in exchange for a new trend.
This four man band has been in existence since 1993, humbly claiming seven EPs/demos and an assortment of full-lengths. This Poland outfit displays a mature form rarely found in a genre where cliché effects, repetitive rhythms, and adopted vocals are manifested at a rate that would cause pornographers to scoff at the absence of originality.
Lunaris, contains six tracks, combining in time to constitute a full-length, containing attributes of classic sounding Polish black metal, while infusing some more modern sounding production, along with some risky, cinematic like features that surface at momentary interludes. These queued chants or organ-esque sounding elements generally breach the melodic dialog at the beginning of a track, or meet slower segments dispersed throughout a track, breaking the surface of darkness for a gasp of life before pitching downward again into the chaos, rejuvenated enough to endure the destined agonies.
Bludgeoning blast beats, whining and wondering riffs, and enchanting vocals of anguish are all familiar and expected aspects of what metal fans in this subgenre want. It's what is needed, and Lunaris delivers. Arkona has adopted the formula, they know their audience are gluttons, over indulgers, and dwellers of the dark. This album is not new, not re-inventive, gimmick-less, and raw. What Lunaris is, can only be experienced. The wretched tar of evil is secreted again on November 4th, with a satisfying encroachment of Arkona.
Score: 7.5/10.
