DARKESTRAH — Epos (review)

DARKESTRAH — Epos album cover Album · 2007 · Pagan Black Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
renkls
A composition that flows smooth as magma, and in some ways, just as excessively, being at least five minutes longer then it needed to be.

The 33:33 minute epic track, Epos is the only song to grace this album; and before you go thinking it's a wall to wall slab of 33 minute brilliance, I'll burst your bubble and say that's not entirely the case. It is however, a very good epic track nonetheless.

When you put on this album, the first thing you will hear is the sound of crashing waves. Sets the mood, all good. Two and a half minutes of these waves pass and the first section of the track eases in from under the waves; a good transition. It builds in intensity until the sixth minute, upon which it hits the first vocals, punctuated by a female vocalists roar. Epic, and powerful, it lurches through multiple verses, a repetitive rhythm and the addition of melancholy violin strings into the mix.

At the twelve minute mark, it all fades away, to the sounds of stormy turbulence far off in the distance. After a minute of this, a jew harp (never heard one of them before hearing this song) comes into the mix, then after a few beats, a chorus of 'hey' with drums, hand claps and jew harp signals the second section. That makes it sound ineffectual, but it comes in naturally and feels perfect for the composition at the time. After a few minutes of this, we settle into a new rhythm, aggressive and perfectly fitting - pagan influences are present underneath the all consuming atmosphere. This is music you have to hear up loud.

Again, after a while the music fades back down again, to a light acoustic segue which lasts all of thirty seconds before the female vocalist rips apart another cry and the third section begins, pulsing ahead to a powerful finish. The music swells passionately to the conclusion, reprising the opening rhythm as our female vocalist muses a melodic exit, and we are left to the sound of crashing waves once more.

While I love the composition itself, the choice to sandwich it between more than seven minutes of just wave sounds was a bit of a poor choice, as well as the decision to classify this as full length, when it's quite a measly offering. But with music this passionate and effective, it's a pretty minor complaint. Though it feels like three songs sandwiched together for show, it has a coherency to it that many other long tracks would envy, and I think it paid off. Just cut down a little on the repetition in each section and most of the waves, and you've got a real EP length gem.
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