siLLy puPPy Sandwiched between their debut album “Five Treasures Of Snow” and their 2017 followup full-length “The Sachem’s Tales,” DZÖ-NGA released this one track mini-EP UPON THE SHIMMERED BOUGH which features the 15 minute and 39 second track of the same name. This single track is pretty much a bridge between the percussionless debut album and the more developed second one. UPON THE SHIMMERED BOUGH carries the torch of the cold and darkened dungeon synth type of atmospheric keyboards with the heavy black metal guitar segments but also adds blastbeat percussion. Also found are the mellow atmospheric folk sections with clean vocals but the metal parts are more furious and less buried in the mix than on the debut. Unlike the following “The Sachem’s Tales” this one is entirely performed as a one man show of Cryvas who plays the guitars, keyboards, bass (which is buried in the mix) as well as the clean and shrieked vocals.

UPON THE SHIMMERED BOUGH is a decent atmospheric black metal track. It has the best of both worlds. It builds up the intensity with intricate classically inspired piano runs, heavy atmospheric electronica and folk sections with lots of room to let the instrumental parts breathe before the vocals augment the melodic developments. After it builds up the tension, the black metal parts are satisfactory in their intensity but never lose the atmospheric creepiness. After the track fully unfolds and crescendoes, the track ends with a dungeon synth outro and chimes that truly ushers out a well done track that delivers the dark and depressive goods as expected from the album cover. Perhaps the only thing not going for UPON THE SHIMMERED BOUGH is that it doesn’t exactly reek in creativity. It would take the addition of Grushenka Ødegård’s feminine charm to add an extra layer to give DZÖ-NGA a boost into more interesting territory but this EP is quite decently done and a great listen.

siLLy puPPy DZÖ-NGA (zone-gah) is a one-man black metal project from Boston, USA formed in 2016 and takes its name from a Himalayan deity. The entire project is the creation of Cryvas who plays all guitars, keyboards and contributes all vocals and on this debut FIVE TREASURES OF SNOW. There is also a Tibetan singing bowl in the mix. The only other person involved is Aubeli Dove who contributes guest vocals. While sold as an atmospheric black metal album, which is where Cryvas would steer the band’s sound on the followup “The Sachem’s Tales,” this one is totally devoid of any type of percussion and comes off more in a dark ambient / dungeon synth type of sound however despite being totally focused on sound textures and atmospheric structures, there is definitely black metal to be heard albeit buried down into the mix which gives FIVE TREASURES OF SNOW a somewhat unique overall sound.

The theme draws inspirations from the frigid heights of the highest reaches of the Himalayan mountain range and utilizes Tibetan folk elements mixed with classical piano to establish a counterpoint of melodies. The synthesized aspects are in the forefront while the guitar distortion and raspy shrieked vocals are buried down with just enough audibility to be heard through the sweeping epic synth runs that sound right out of the Summoning playbook with soundtrack type loops of melody covering the musical plains. While there is no overall percussion there are some points where some chimes and bells do ring in a percussive manner.

The strangest aspect of FIVE TREASURES OF SNOW is certainly in how it’s mixed and which elements of the music are emphasized and shows a unique take on atmospheric black metal where the actual metal elements are tamped down into a place where they are struggling to find their way to prominence. Personally i find this one a little unsatisfying. The melodies are certainly pleasant as they convey a moody darkened feel that fits in well with the theme of existing high in the oxygen starved wastelands of the highest peaks on the planet, however the fact that the metal parts are de-emphasized as are the vocals leaves this feeling like i’m trying to listen to music from two houses away during a winter storm. While an interesting start, the DZÖ-NGA project becomes much more interesting on “The Sachem’s Tales” where the vocals are in full range (male and female) as are the black metal segments despite that album retaining it’s windswept gentleness as heard on this more ambient debut.

siLLy puPPy DZÖ-NGA (zone-gah) is yet another of many one-man black metal projects. This one was created in 2016 by the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Cryvas who comes from Boston, USA. THE SACHEM’S TALES is the second full-length release finding Cryvas providing the talents behind the guitar, bass and keyboards. Aaron Maloney sits in as a session musician on percussion. Cryvas provides the male black metal vocal raspy shrieked vocals while Grushenka Ødegård provides the other half of the beauty and beast effect with her operatic diva touch. Lillith Astaroth likewise guests her vocals on the sole track “Halle Ravine.” Like the debut “Five Treasures Of Snow,” THE SACHEM’S TALES explores melodic atmospheric black metal that incorporates classical piano with electronic ambience creating lush contemporary classical melodies before the distortion of the black metal fury erupts over them. Focused on world mythologies, the debut delved into the world of Himalayan folklore, while THE SACHEM’S TALES creates a concept album about the creation mythos of Algonquin folklore. The Algonquin were the original peoples who inhabited the Northeastern and Central upper regions of the US and Canada. DZÖ-NGA’s music appears on the Avantgarde label where more famous black metal acts like Dark Sanctuary and Darkspace exist.

THE SACHEM’S TALES is a real treat to listen to. As with all atmospheric black metal, the elements can succeed or fail with slight margins of error. In the case of this concept album, it all works out quite well as the tracks build upon strong melodic hooks based on classical piano runs accompanied by symphonic electronica that creates harmonic counterpoints while the female vocals lure you in like a siren on the calm and placid seas. It’s only after the tracks are firmly implanted into your head that then do the black metal parts erupt out of the abyss but whereas many atmospheric black metal bands will bury the other elements and allow them to dominate, DZÖ-NGA plays the great balancing act with careful precision as to let the melodies and root elements to shine through like rays of light even when the stormy black metal clouds should filter out every ray of light. This approach keeps the melodies staunchly rooted in the listener’s mind and to be honest the main draw as the actual atmospheric black metal formula isn’t exactly an original thing any more. In fact some of the repetitive keyboards lines remind me a lot of Summoning’s approach on albums like “Dol Guldur” with an epic sweep of lush keyboards and symphonic counterpoints.

Another factor that works in the album’s favor its that it isn’t too long. Some of these types of albums can go on way past the point of comfort but THE SACHEM’S TALES seems to be the right length with seven tracks ranging from less than three minutes to over nine in length. The variations of the keyboard runs keeps the melodies distinct and interesting as well despite sticking to a formula for the album’s duration. While all the tracks are pleasant i find “A Seventh Age Of Fire” stands out as it uses the lush keyboard and symphonic effect to reel you in and then employs bombastic black metal guitars with Cryvas’ vocals becoming more extreme and furious but there are counterpoints with clean vocals and they tradeoff as well. The symphonic elements are extremely strong and well-mixed into the overall sound. THE SACHEM’S TALES is primarily based in Western classical music hooks but well written ones that never disappoint. The black metal elements are almost secondary and primarily used for contrast rather than bombast. The album has a gentleness to it despite bona fide outbursts of energy and much more interesting than some atmospheric black metal albums that seem to use a repetitive loop for the foundation of melody. However a lot of time is spent to the classical parts with no metal at all. THE SACHEM’S TALES is a satisfying stream of melodic flow that perfectly conveys the concepts at hand despite the indecipherable lyrical content.