Black Metal History Month - Carathis :" Amethyst & Moonstone"

 This Austrian band had two eps that were never properly released so they are being combined to form this album. There is a raw element to what they do but that does not keep them from using synths to symphonic effect and writing catchy songs with thrashing intent. The vocals sit back in the mix. The drums are not just slamming you with blast beats though they do crop up. "the Crimson Gate' is straight forward to the point of taking influence from a more classic metal sound. The snarled vocals want to sing when the chorus hits, but the croak instead. 

The style of black metal they throw themselves into with such deal can have a bit of tedium if it is not tempered with other dynamics. "the Forsaken Realm" finds everything running together a bit, thanks to the hyper aggressive tempo. There is more melody thanks to the synths pushing it through on "the Fallen Star" but not enough to make me say "wow this is great." instead I simply agree that this is black metal that I appreciate. The more deliberate the passage the more impactful. By the time we get to the "Amethyst Fortress" they have begun to rely on blast beats more. This leaves things feeling a tad rushed. The sound quality changes on 'the Portal" the problem being this is black metal and the synths sound too bright. The vocals remain at an enthusiastic croak.

They even have keyboards on "the Procession" that sound like they have been marched in from a late 80s dance track. At this point in the album the blast beats have gotten tedious. They dig deep and find more gas in the tank for "the Prayer".There is more of a taunt palm muted chug to the last song, though it comes close to blasting off. I will give this album an 8, as they inject enough of themselves into things to make it worthwhile.