Slægt - Beautiful and Damned
The second time I get to review new and interesting black-metal inspired metal, this time we´re talking about Slægt, and yes!... they also hail from Denmark (Like Gespenst). So far they have released 2 full-length albums on Posh Isolation and Ván, and then a split EP with White Medal, a demo, and then this very interesting 4-track mini-album called Beautiful and Damned which came out on German-based Necroshine Records back in 2015. So far the physical CD-release is only available via Discogs, it cannot be obtained via the Band´s official Bandcamp site (Only being the digital version) and I cannot seem to locate it via Necroshine Records on either Bandcamp or their official site either. BUT! that won´t stop me from reviewing it. I was so lucky in seeing their live performance at Viborg Metal Festival 2018, I politely asked if they would be interested in a Kalteldur review... and yes they were! The Beautiful and Damned EP was donated and I promised a review, so here it goes!.
Like I mentioned earlier, we´re dealing with a 4-track mini-album being about 22 minutes in length. The first track Move in Chaos starts off with classic/retro sounding black-metal meets the sound of NWOBHM; blast-beats and menacing distorted guitar and bass-work, later on, with the excellent and evocative demonic vocal-work. The track has a lot to offer.... if you like your (proto) black-metal and NWOBHM fusion-dish served the way it used to (Bathory, Venom, Celtic Frost, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbathe), while at the same time being something entirely new then yes! Slægt is for you!. I am even sensing a kind of post-punk atmospheric aesthetic here and there, and at other times there is this beautiful and psychedelic sounding guitar-work which takes me back to the sound of Mike Oldfield. All this is can be found on the first track! The second track with the strange title Alshinecheri works (luckily) as great as in the same manner as the first. Being slightly more black-mass ritualistic (if you ask me). Again a fantastic track!. The third offering Church of the Night turns down the speed and welcomes the listener with a truly beautiful acoustic piece (love the small moody bells in this!). Could very well work as a movie-theme for a classic Argento-inspired occult/horror-flick if you ask me!. Last track Beautiful and the Damned sounds like a marriage in hell. Epic, melodic, grim, atmospheric and blackened sound-material. I think that fans Fields of the Nephilim would dig this, grim and dramatic gothic-rock/Celtic-Frost kind of feel. Again with that unique/psychedelic Oldfield kind of guitar-work. And no, you metal-heads should not be scared away regarding me mentioning Mike Oldfield... I know he can be kind of, Well... Let us just say that he isn´t for anyone!. It still is fxxxxxx great!
And that was that ... A proud owner of this EP which also leaves me hungry for more!. My advice; go and get it!. Second advice; go and see them live!. They literally kick-ass, and they look great on stage as well. Last thing worth mentioning would be the beautiful looking cover-art! Not your typical heavy-metal/black-metal cover art... just looks great and minimalistic-focused.
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