Aznaitin, an anonymous Spanish entity from the Andalusian region, is a new act entering the Spanish Black Metal firmament. This self-titled demo tape is the band’s first feat, offering, as they describe it, Raw Black Metal with strong DIY aesthetics that pour the power of regional nature and culture into musical mould.
In five tracks spread over about 18 minutes the band takes a deep dive into the more depressive and melancholic regions of the Black Metal genre, although this might not be exactly the sort of music I would picture myself when recounting the unimaginable restorative power of nature, but, fair enough: it works.
Musically the band delves from the repetitive nature of the slower repertoire of Burzum, but mostly in a predominantly American fashion. It more than often reminds me of bands like Xasthur, Krohm and Leviathan. While these Spaniards do not quite have the same power or abilities yet, it is clear that these guys do know what they’re doing. Especially in the parts where the drums play a more dominant role, things start to feel a little shaky, but on the other hand, this demo’s title track is quite a flawless exercise of Raw and Depressive Black Metal. It has enough melody and even some alluring dynamics to prevent the track to become too stale or one-dimensional. Same can more or less be said about the demo’s closing track, ‘Existe Un Bosque’ that with its melancholic and rather epic melody possesses a true Pagan spirit.
All in all ‘Aznaitin’ is a solid debut demo that tastes like more. And I am sure that with a little tweaking (mostly in the recording/production department), the band should be able to outdo itself without any question. In any case, I am hooked and am keeping my eyes open for what is to come. For the time being, this demo can be ordered through the band’s Bandcamp page or through Morken Tapes, the label on duty.
