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Gråt Strigoi – Alt dette har skjedd før, alt dette vil skje igjen

gråt strigoi – alt dette har skjedd før, alt dette vil skje igjen

Info

Gråt Strigoi are band from Glasgow, Scotland – comprised of Josh Brown (all instruments) and Kieran Gilroy (vocals). This seems to be their first effort. No previous demo work is mentioned as far as I know or can tell.

Their full length contains 9 tracks and starts off with an acoustic and instrumental intro, before revealing a mesmerizing slab of hypnotizing, rather depressive, dark and slightly ambient Black Metal with icy vocals However, the third song “Swallowing Darkness” picks up in pace, heavy pounding drums, amazing tremolo-picking on the guitars and the icy abysmal vocals of Kieran Gilroy. Tempo changes often though, from fast to mid-paced to slow and with the addition of acoustic guitars, subtle keyboards, …you name it.

“Accursed Souls Unearthed by the Passage of Time” is another soothing instrumental with falling water drops, ocean sounds and …an emerging yet distant male choir which creates this epic grand feeling you normally hear on soundtrack scores. Incredible track which makes the shivers run down your back.

And it goes on like this: a multitude of layered guitars, keyboards in the background, music going panoramic from left to right, swelling up to emotional, yet cold Black Metal mastery. Alternating constantly in rhythm and mood. And each song contains so many sublime details.

The opus magnum, however, is saved for last : “All Shall Come to Dust and Be Forgotten”. A gargantuan monster of over 12 minutes in length. A song that engulfs everything in its path. Mighty riffs are shed like thunderbolts, an exquisite double bass drumming/percussion and the tortured vocal acrobatics whip up this song to an gigantic climax.

Lyric wise; the musical themes seem to be vampirism, desolation, the forces of nature and darkness. The thematics of a band like Drowning The Light, so to speak.

The mix on this album is truly superb. A crystal clear sound, offering a wide and broad stereo effect, a multitude of sounds and small details. And all instruments can be heard distinctly. And believe when I say : there isn’t a split second of boredom to be found on the entire album.

‘Alt dette har skjedd før, alt dette vil skje igjen’ is the kind of ambient innovative Black Metal art you’d normally hear and find on labels such as Profound Lore or Avantgarde Music.

In short: this a true (!!) masterpiece! And it’s still rather solid and dismal Black Metal due to the faster parts, the merciless riffing and those brilliant vocals.

I sincerely hope some label spots the genius of his band & releases this album on a proper physical format. Check out Bandcamp and get bewitched by this irresistible album! (LV)

Gråt Strigoi

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