AKHLYS : "House of the Black Geminus"

 The last album I reviewed for this project was the 2015 album "The Dreaming". I was not too impressed by that one it got a 6.5. Things have changed in the past 9 years. They are darker and more intricate in the layering of sounds, at least on the opening track of their new album. Debemur Morti Productions has been pretty reliable when it comes to black metal so let's see if this album holds up. When things kick in, it is clear this project is very angry, the vocals are about as pissed as black metal gets. There is some ebb and flow so it is not all blasting, so we are off to a good start here. Darkness and dynamics are the two key ingredients I require in black metal and these guys go their shit together on it. You would never guess these guys are from Colorado. I am not sure if this song needs to be almost twelve minutes long as I think I got what they are cooking about eight minutes in. 

By the second song, they are hitting you with a dense blasting that is layered with other sounds so you are distracted by what you are being hit with. It's a big sound that carries some nice dissonance, though not the most dynamic thing I have heard today as it largely locks on with its teeth and drones from there. They are a little more deliberate on "Through the Abyssal Door". It works with an almost singular pulse that attacks from different angles. The title track is just a long ambient interlude. After this, they roar back with a more syncopation outburst of anger. It only takes a minute for its momentum to begin to run away with it. The vocals are accented in a manner that gives it a bigger marching feel. But the question becomes can they keep this up for ten minutes? Do they need to ? 

There is a more grandiose atmosphere to the last song though the bubbling undercurrent of blast beats feels like the song is wrestling against itself. Should it conform to the expectations of black metal or will it be allowed to grow into its own beast? Conformity is what it leans closer to. I appreciate the creepy melody that crawls over it. I will give this album an 8.5, which is a long way from their last album. This album drops on July 5th. 

House of the Black Geminus by Akhlys/>

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