"A Rage of Rapture Against the Dying of the Light" is the debut self-released EP from Dutch act Terzij de Horde (technically they released a demo, but they were known as Liar Liar Cross on Fire at the time), and an impressive debut it is. Expect four songs in about a half-hour that seamlessly combine black metal, doom, and even what could arguably be referred to as subtle "screamo"/hardcore influences. Yeah, I know that the prospect of fusing anything of that nature with black metal sends up the "bullshit flag", but trust me, there's nothing to worry about. This shit is great. There's a good amount of completely ripping, precisely-delivered tremolo picking; blasting percussion; bent up and warped dissonant chord phrasings; droning hums and earsplitting feedback; pounding, sustained power chord rhythms; etc. And then there are some peculiar passages from beyond that scope that are slightly melodic, occasionally harsh and chaotic, but definitely not black metal. And that's perfectly fine, I'm not complaining or passing judgment in any way, just making an observation. While the vocals are relentless screams, they really do have more of a hardcore type of vibe (in that they're not completely over the top and fall into more of a bitter, midrange snarl), so I actually think that helps all of the varying influences blend together so well. The recording's nice, too. Obviously they're not going for any kind of brutally raw, "true" black metal aesthetic here, so it's fairly crisp without coming across as polished, and they can get a grating bite out of the guitar work/vocals without drowning out the basslines. Good stuff. I'll look forward to seeing where they go from here.
Terzij de Horde "Non Timetis Messor" (excerpt)
If you like what you hear, please do pick up a copy from the band through the link below. They're hoping to secure better distribution, or perhaps a release on vinyl, so get in touch with 'em if you'd be interested in any of that, too!
Comments
I’m digging this a lot. You need to write more about black metal. :) I’m really missing Blodstardid (or something like that) page… :) And looking forward to review of the newest Starkweather and Integrity albums!:)
6.25.2010 | By Carlos
Over the past few months, I’ve been discovering many fusions of black metal and hardcore, including this one. I’m not sure if it’s the wave of the future, but it’s certainly in the air at the moment.
6.25.2010 | By Invisible Oranges
Hmmm, interesting. These dudes sound a lot like a blast-beaten Envy. I like the idea of shimmering, beautiful chords played scathingly fast, like some of the new Alcest or vintage Ulver. Wouldn’t mind hearing more.
6.28.2010 | By justin