I truly believe the notion of art should be the seed for which the heart reaps, and from the soil of the mind what sprouts forth is the fruit for the senses to consume, for the consciousness to masticate,taste and from the splendor, become intoxicated by its sensation.
‘Proclamation of Balthar Enthroned’ by Lord can be heralded as the harvest of art which ferments with the soul, for what is produced is the elixir that ushers the mind into a world of iron,ash and blood. A stench which clings to its architecture becomes the magick of Black Metal, cloaked in a similar garment to such bands as Hecate Enthroned and Enthroned.The incantation of Lord furthermore enhances this spell woven by injecting into this existing rhythm its own cadence and darkened spirit.
The production unfurls the strings, rendering it in an organic shape, granting fluidity to its motion. A crude, razor-like timbre echoes forth, swelling and cloaking the atmosphere in a metallic discordance, in return, contributing to a sword and sorcery-esque ambience. ‘Le nuit du nécromant’ is an example where the guitars feel as though they mimic the medieval sensation through the clashing and clanging of iron against iron, for what is reflected is a hymn for malevolence carved in the dissonance of steel. Like the luminous glow of a moonlight against a blade, slick with crimson, so too does the synths cast its ethereal spirit upon the album. Filling the cavities of the musical structure, “The Legend of the Beast”,explores this, where the keys accentuate the spirit of the art, while also balancing and weaving itself into the tenebrous currents.
A dichotomy becomes prevalent through the vocal patterns, for what is exhaled takes the form of a decrepit tongue which converses with the maw of an ancient beast. ‘Beyond the beauty, Demon Queen’ showcases the contrasting energies as it fuses to the bones of the strings resonating in a differing frequency yet it ceases not to suffocate one another. The vocals become the tangible aspect of the album that interacts with the senses, which in turn animates the atmosphere, making the world of sound fashioned feel more lived-in and worn. In addition to this, the percussion also adds to the pulsating gravitas to the album,introducing an erratic component, complementing the strings while further magnifying the mythical essence of the art.
Atmosphere becomes a crucial focal point where ‘Proclamation of Balthar Enthroned’ , for through the channeling of the musical energies what is erected is a temple for the senses to rest, and through rest, the mind expands. Lord awakens the primal magick veiled behind the silver of light, to rebuke that which is false, and from that which dwells within the mind’s caverns, a weapon is forged. For the soul becomes transfigured into iron, and from iron, a blade, one that is beaten, sharpened and whetted until its shape becomes the very art it consumes.
