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Moon Oracle – Ophidian Glare

moon oracle – ophidian glare

Info

Ever since the band’s formation Moon Oracle has been a bit of the odd-one out in the current Finnish Black Metal scene. Although the involved band members are or were active contributors of bands like Ride For Revenge, Blood Red Fog, Flooded Church Of Asmodeus, Incriminated, Pantheon Of Blood, Saturnian Mist (and have also been involved with Goatmoon and Nécropole as live musicians), Moon Oracle doesn’t sound much like any of those acts.

But, if you’d like to get a bit of a picture of what Moon Oracle sounds like, you just need to imagine to blend in almost all of those abovementioned bands to jam out as stripped down sort of power trio – just take the Motörhead formation as format. Yes, it is sounding idiosyncratic, the result is contrarian and it feels awkward. But that is what Moon Oracle is, it sounds fresh and creative, but not always all that easy to get through. The roughness resembles early Ride For Revenge but also echoes a band like Ildjarn, bass-heavy and gritty to the max. It has the quirkiness and minimalist approach of Flooded Church Of Asmodeus, while it also incorporates some melodies and more orthodox sort of Black Metal, even some moody synthesizers are added for good measure. But mostly it is the rocking character of the music that drives ‘Ophidian Glare’ forward, that heavy and constantly rumbling and pulsating bass guitar is the most prominent part of Moon Oracle’s sound, pushing the guitars into a secondary role which in turn gives the drums much more freedom to expose its basic rhythms.

There is one thing, however, that deserves a special mention. And that is the album’s ending, which is even more unorthodox. The end is introduced by some mournful keyboards and then plods on in some Funeral Doomesque soundscape which turns out to be deep darkness incarnate. An equally pale guitar melody, the slow double bass and the still tuneful synths humming along drag you right into the depths where the agonising vocals (sometimes reminiscent of Fucked Up Mad Max (RIP, ex-Worship)) tear your soul to shreds.

If you have been reading the above and still have no clue of what Moon Oracle sounds like, you just have to give ‘Ophidian Glare’ a chance. But, only if you are able to chew yourself through the rough and rowdy sound and the ominous atmosphere it is soaked in. The pure energy and minimalistic savagery that the album possesses is something that you’re going to have to relate to.

Moon Oracle

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