Black Funeral – Scourge Of Lamashtu

Black Funeral unleashes their recent full length album, “Scourge of Lamashtu”, at the time of its release (2020), this album along with a few others made up my personal best of that year….. In case anyone was wondering.

But what makes this album so special to earn a spot as amongst the best of 2020? Well in my opinion, its first and foremost the atmosphere conjured with this release.

Immediately from the first track you get this vibe of a ritual being performed under the ink of night. The use of the intro tracks, whether  it be ceremonial chanting or a dark ambient noises, it slithers around the album to create a sinister and potent aura at the same time.The production breathes a live feeling to it, as though the recording was unearthed from a crypt and played back to us the listeners.In such a way,it feels like you are not listening to an album but instead merely bearing witness to a unholy procession in which its sounds were chronicled.

The instrumentation on “Scourge of Lamashtu” evokes a mystic vibe to the playing, the guitars here can be considered your standard Black Metal chords with the tremolo picking utilized.But what makes it stand out here is that, yes, while there are uptempo, fast paced riffs,the guitars instead act as another layer to the incantation being woven.Also, a highlight of the album is the catchiness of the riffs, after the first listen, i can guarantee you will be humming these melodies. In addition to that, the guitars and vocals work synchronously together, where certain vocal hooks are applied so to do the guitar riffs flow,like blood within veins. The vocals fall within a mid-range register, not necessarily high nor low, however the raspy tone employed here fits the spirit of the album, as it manifests an occult-like element. The drumming , which brings forth the pulse to this beast is rather exceptional, emitting a raw, thick tone to it, but a standout is the cymbal work, as it fills in the small gaps in the album’s spellwork.

Overall, if you are a fan of Black Metal and enjoy bands that weave an unsettling ambience to their music, I would  definitely recommend this. But if you are just searching for atmospheric Extreme music, why not give this a spin, you may find other qualities hidden within its notes.