▄█████▄ ░█████▄ ▄████▄░█▄ ░█▄ ▄█████▄ ███▄██ ▄██ ▄█▄ ▄██████ ▄█▄ ▄███ ░████░██▀████▓ ▀██ ▄██░▀█████ ████ ███▓ ██████▓██ ▓███████ ███▓░▀█▀████ ███▓ ███▓ ▓███░ ██ ██▄ ▄██▓██ ▓███▓██░ ▓███░███░███████████▄ ███░███░ ███░ ▄███ ███ ▄█▀░ ████████░██ █████████▄ ▓██░███ ███▓█████████ ███████ ███ ███░ ███████ ███▓ ░██ ██ ██████▓ ░██ ▀██ ███░███▓██████ ███▓███ ███ ███ ████████░███░ ███ ██▄ ██▓███░ ██▄ ██░██▓ ███ ▀▀████ ███░███ ███ ███ ███▓░███████░ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███▓██▓██░ ███ ▓████ ███ ███ ▓██▓ ███ ███░ ▓██████ ███ ▓████ ▓██▄ ▓████████ ███ ▓███ ███ ███ ███░███ ███ ░██████ ███ ░████ ░███ ███▓███▓ ███ ░███ ███ ███ ██▓███ ███ ███▓██ ███ ███ ▓██▄ ███░███░ ███ ███ ███ ███ ░█████ ███ ██▓░██▄ ███ ▓█▀ ▓██▄ ███ ██░ ███ ██▓ ███ ███ ░███▀ ░█▀ ██░ ██ ░█▀ ░███▄ ▀ ▀ ▓█▀ ███░ ░█▀ ██▀ ██░ ▄██▀ ░█▄ ▄███▀ ░██ ░ ██ ▓░ ▓░ ██░ ▓█░ ░█▀ ▀█░ ░█▓ ░ ██ ██ Artist: Arkheth ██ ██ ▓ █░░ ■█ Album: Twelve Winter Moons Comes the Witches █■ ░░█ ■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2018 █ ▀▓█ ░ █ ▓ Rel. Date: 2018-11-17 ▓ █ ▒ ▒ Genre: Black Metal ▒ ▒ █▄ ░ Label: Transcending Obscurity Records ░ ▄█ ░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█ ░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░ ▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓ ▓ █ █ ░ ▓ ▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■ ░█ █░ ▀ █ Sinuous, haunting and bizarre, Arkheth's music is █ █ extraordinary. There have been experimental black █ █ metal bands, but this is something else entirely. █ █ It's a micro-fusion of all the different stylings █ █ the genre can encompass, brilliantly strung █ █ together in a seemingly twisted albeit seamless █ █ manner. It requires rare ingenuity to create music █ █ that is discordant and melodic at the same time. █ █ The addition of saxophone only ups the bizarre █ █ quotient and adds colour to the unhinged madness. █ █ Virtually peerless and transcending boundaries, █ █ this is black metal that is gorgeous in all its █ █ demented, intricate design. █ █ Band's message for the album - "The inspiration █ █ for this album came directly from the ancient and █ █ unknown past the mankind and its connection to the █ █ Earth and Cosmos. The primary source was the █ █ teachings of Hermes Trismegistus and his path to █ █ enlightenment. This is an important chapter for █ █ Arkheth in its evolution both musically and on █ █ it's journey as an entity that continually seeks a █ █ deeper knowledge and connection with the Cosmos." █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ ItÆs incredibly rare that I hear but one song off █ █ of an album and think to myself ôthis album is █ █ going to be magnificentö, but thatÆs exactly how I █ █ felt almost exactly a year ago when I heard the █ █ yearly label sampler from Transcending Obscurity █ █ Records and I came across Arkheth. The black metal █ █ act was all but unknown to me, but the one track █ █ of eight minutes left an immeasurable mark on me, █ █ and after a year of waiting, IÆve been lucky █ █ enough to behold the sorcery that Arketh has █ █ wrought with their upcoming album. The result, you █ █ ask? Nothing but pure magic and majesty of the █ █ highest order. █ █ When I first heard the song ôYour Swamp My █ █ Wretched Queenö (changed to ôWhere Nameless Ghouls █ █ Weepö for the album), I was simply blown the fuck █ █ away. Everything about what Arkheth brought to the █ █ table stunned me in a way that spoke to me on █ █ every level imaginable. The melodies were █ █ perfection, the vocals fused ridiculously well █ █ with the surrounding music, the tone was haunting █ █ in the best way possible, the direction was █ █ delicious, and the fucking saxophone was nigh on █ █ godlike! ThatÆs right û a fucking saxophone in a █ █ black metal band. And it fucking works!! How many █ █ times do you see that?! I waited for a year for █ █ this album, and after listening to it for hours █ █ and hours, scraping up every morsel I could, █ █ thereÆs nothing that Arkheth didnÆt do perfectly █ █ with this album. I mean this wholeheartedly when I █ █ say this: ô12 Winter Moons Before the Witches █ █ Brewö is bound to be a cult hit and already in my █ █ Top 10 of 2018. █ █ The word ôexperimentalö can be a dangerous one, █ █ especially in metal. It can mean literally █ █ anything as thereÆs no telling as to what █ █ directions the experiments will go before the end. █ █ But in the case of ô12 Winter Moons Before the █ █ Witches Brewö, experimental means covering the █ █ entire fucking board of what black metal can sound █ █ like. And I mean the entire fucking board. Whether █ █ it be melodies overflowing with riffs, hypnotic █ █ hymns backed by a transcendent soundtrack, █ █ soothing atmosphere, haunting fog that chokes you █ █ near death, a barrage of black metal speed laced █ █ with subtle rhythms, or glorious saxophone solos, █ █ Arkheth does it all masterfully. ItÆs very common █ █ to see a black metal band branch out, but to see █ █ it taken to this degree and with such skill is █ █ something extremely rare. ItÆs a truly momentous █ █ album and the entirety of ô12 Winter Moonsö is a █ █ unique experience thatÆs wholly captivating. █ █ Arkheth seizes you by the shoulders and hurls you █ █ into a realm thatÆs filled with so much variety █ █ from so many sources. Both the realms of the known █ █ and abyss of the unknown play an integral part in █ █ this album and I canÆt fucking get enough of it! █ █ ItÆs not often at all that an album just waves █ █ over me like this. Many times it takes a few █ █ listens for me to really get a feel and know that █ █ IÆm truly enjoying the piece, but thereÆs █ █ something about ArkhethÆs beautiful display of █ █ saxophone driven black metal laced with atmosphere █ █ and melody that strikes so many chords with me. █ █ The new year hasnÆt even started yet, but I know █ █ for a fact that ô12 Winter Moons Comes the Witches █ █ Brewö is going to be one of the best the year has █ █ to offer. If you want a premium experience that is █ █ (honest to whatever god you may or may not █ █ worship) a one of a kind like none before it, then █ █ Arkheth is an act you better get really fucking █ █ familiar with! My only lament is how long we have █ █ to wait for the official releaseà itÆs going to be █ █ a very long two months. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ Up until two years ago Arkheth had spent most of █ █ their 17 years as a full band masterminded by █ █ Tyraenos who handled drumming and vocals █ █ concurrently. On this third full-length he has █ █ taken over the project himself entirely and █ █ achieved something truly avant-garde ,and █ █ occasionally questionable, in the realm of █ █ atmospheric black metal. It is a far cry from █ █ their 2003 album æHymns of a Howling WindÆ which █ █ wasnÆt much more than second wave Norwegian black █ █ metal imitation with some cheap keyboards tossed █ █ in. A full seven years later they released æIX & █ █ I: The Quintessence of AlgareshÆ a █ █ symphonic/melodic black metal record with some █ █ lofty, melodramatic ideas that translated into a █ █ disjointed folksy prog-black mess where their █ █ longer compositions typically worked themselves █ █ out beautifully. So, when I saw the press release █ █ for this and it gave mention to psychedelics and █ █ Oranssi Pazuzu I think my expectations were set █ █ off in the wrong direction. █ █ Another seven years had passed, of course, and █ █ Arkheth is (yet again) an entirely different █ █ project in a different style. I will say that this █ █ new style does attempt to go where many bands █ █ arenÆt: Outer space. It comes across as a █ █ personalized take on æKosmonumentÆ with breaks █ █ into space-rock jamming set to metal drumming and █ █ a tendency to place spoken word samples where they █ █ arenÆt necessary. ôDark Energy Equilibriumö best █ █ expresses these intentions in itÆs first half, and █ █ the experience is sinister and psychedelic until █ █ the saxophone bursts in and the jank of it █ █ collapses into some kind of 2010 jazz-noise metal █ █ moment that kills the momentum of the song for me. █ █ It is more demented rock music than it is black █ █ metal, but when black metal does buzz in it has █ █ that lo-fi, atmospheric glint to it that clashes █ █ with the bonking space-riffs of ôWhere Nameless █ █ Ghouls Weepö that might be better off accompanying █ █ instrumentation closer to Inquisition instead. █ █ As confounding as messaging, style change, and █ █ regime change can be when a bandÆs name stays the █ █ same, Arkheth have been brilliantly self-examined █ █ and replaced with a superior set of musical █ █ concepts. Æ12 Winter Moons Comes the Witches BrewÆ █ █ is soaring with an imaginative 42 minutes of █ █ psychedelic extreme metal that clashes boldly with █ █ messy and sputtering space rock-isms. It is █ █ something new, something slightly borrowed then █ █ dirtied, and something disjointedly smart enough █ █ to ôartö its way out of mediocrity. I hope he █ █ pulls even further away from atmospheric black █ █ metalÆs fringes and blends in some more aggressive █ █ elements into the free-janking jazz style heÆs █ █ found on this record. It is truly unexpected. █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ Experimental black metal actsà..make you break out █ █ in a nervous sweat donÆt they! Visions of █ █ self-absorbed, incoherent, lo-fi wankery may flash █ █ before your eyes, as you await an onslaught of █ █ inaudible clattering nonsense but fortunately, █ █ ArkhethÆs Twelve Winter Moons Comes The Witches █ █ Brew is black metalà.but certainly not as you know █ █ it! In fact, an almost incomprehensible genius is █ █ at work here, fashioning æsongsÆ that transform █ █ themselves from the most vigorous extreme metal █ █ onslaughts to jazz-fusion noodling via moments of █ █ tranquil beauty. █ █ Intrigued? You bloody well should be! █ █ Opening track ôTrismegistusö may sound relatively █ █ predictable û with sounds of anguish and clanking █ █ chains conjuring distressing images of hell û but █ █ thereÆs something æoffÆ about the initial blast █ █ beats and shrieked vocals, which signify an █ █ ulterior motive from the outset. When jazz riffs █ █ and a heavy use of saxophone(!) then arrive, █ █ youÆll either be in thrall to the dissonant █ █ delights of Twelve Winter Moons Comes The Witches █ █ Brewsà.or want to run for cover, slap on some █ █ corpse paint and go sulk in a forest for a █ █ fortnight. █ █ ôDark Energy Equilibriumö then takes a post-black █ █ metal axe to the face of latter day Satyricon, █ █ with a few surprising, jazz lounge interludes █ █ thrown in just to unsettle you further. Creepy, █ █ insistent and completely captivating, itÆs █ █ arguably the finest track on Twelve Winter Moons █ █ Comes The Witches Brew. That is until ôThe Fool █ █ Who Persists in His Follyö û with its joyous █ █ explosion of avant-garde noise û makes a fool of █ █ you. With its myriad of moods and time changes, █ █ this saxophone-led circus of horrors is an █ █ experience like no other! █ █ ôA Place Under The Sunö then proceeds to take a █ █ progressive / post-black metal paddle in IhsahnÆs █ █ tumultuous waters, with almost spoken-word vocals █ █ and delicate, spacious riffs revealing a menacing █ █ fragility of barely restrained drama. This coiled █ █ serpent of a song threatens to strike at any █ █ moment but even when the blast beats do kick in, █ █ theyÆre tempered, quietened even, in favour of a █ █ controlled attack that gives this exquisite song █ █ ample room to breathe. █ █ ItÆs easy to categorise 12 Winter Moons Comes The █ █ Witches Brew as a black metal album but that would █ █ be far too convenient a label. Instead, Arkheth █ █ have crafted a scintillatingly unique fusion of █ █ extreme metal components, abstract noise and John █ █ Zorn-esque escapades in sonic alchemy. If that █ █ sounds appealing , then you may find yourself █ █ falling deep into the arms of an album that can █ █ proudly call itself ædifferentÆ. █ █ 12 Winter Moons Comes The Witches Brew may prove █ █ to a journey fraught with danger and unpredictable █ █ perils but if you follow in ArkhethÆs slipstream, █ █ youÆll find yourself on your own path to █ █ enlightenment! █ █ █ █ --- █ █ █ █ Looking for a noteworthy new metal release? █ █ Perhaps an extreme metal record that lingers in █ █ the sphere of atmospheric black metal which then █ █ crosses the realm of avant-garde territory and █ █ added with some authentic acid rock weirdness? █ █ Well then, Arkheth's third full-length studio █ █ album "12 Winter Moons Comes the Witches Brew" is █ █ exactly the right album that you are seeking for. █ █ Coming straight out from a city in the central █ █ west region of New South Wales, Australia, Arkheth █ █ is a one-man black metal act run by ex-Eternal █ █ Dark drummer Tyraenos. Now, Arkheth used to have █ █ full band members for the last 17 years, but █ █ Tyraenos has taken over the project himself █ █ entirely in the course of putting together the █ █ band's third studio material. He did have Glen █ █ Wholohan's aid though, as the saxophone player █ █ gave assistance in providing layered execution of █ █ jazzy melodies during the making of "12 Winter █ █ Moons Comes the Witches Brew". █ █ One good thing about this album is that it does █ █ not just draw the attention of the typical █ █ psychedelic art lovers as it also houses a █ █ forty-one-minute long catchy dissonant black metal █ █ record which holds its own weird hint of █ █ psychedelically tripped out leads. Basically, the █ █ core of the record loiters in the domain of █ █ atmospheric black metal, but from time to time it █ █ navigates into a very experimental avant-garde █ █ bailiwick while fully embracing Tyraenos's rich █ █ layer of acid-fried creativity and tapping in some █ █ saccharine flamboyant saxophone playing. There is █ █ plenty of seething guitar leads and lots of █ █ helical keyboard work in here which helps in █ █ creating the eldritch undercurrent that the opus █ █ conveys. █ █ Riffs from the guitar department are absolutely █ █ enthralling and hypnotizing as it sends the █ █ listeners into a spiral space of psychedelic █ █ madness. Another thing of beauty about the guitar █ █ area in this release is that other than the █ █ psychedelic edge that it does offer; it also has █ █ that cacophonous nature which cuts through a bent █ █ cosmos of atmospheric and avant-garde black metal █ █ landscape as the keyboard section lurks behind the █ █ background while producing its own haunting vibe. █ █ The combination of the guitar and keyboard █ █ passages had helped a lot in firmly establishing █ █ the evocative essence of the material as a whole. █ █ The drum department of the album is mainly set in █ █ a mid-paced tempo, but it often goes to a pounding █ █ and sludgy beating; furthermore, it also stirs to █ █ fast-moving territories, as the hymns in the █ █ offering progress in changing its pulse. Tyraenos' █ █ vocal delivery is in a form of ghoulish black █ █ metal howls which in a fair and sensible way fits █ █ the demented and grim ambiance of the songs. █ █ Listeners will also dig the semi-polished █ █ production quality of "12 Winter Moons Comes the █ █ Witches Brew". I love how the songs in here have █ █ that crystal clear sounding resonance, yet it █ █ still packs a punch of raw attitude and █ █ aggressiveness. The music it possessed is biting, █ █ even so, it retains vividness and a flexibility of █ █ melodic intonation that tolerates the band's music █ █ to breathe. I would also like to address that in █ █ this offering Arkheth had created an atmosphere █ █ that is only equaled by a few metal acts these █ █ days. █ █ To conclude my review of this indelible and █ █ evocative work of art, "12 Winter Moons Comes the █ █ Witches Brew" is an album worth the money █ █ purchasing and totally worth including in your █ █ extreme metal collection rack. This is an offering █ █ that extreme music aficionados would find easy to █ █ digest even with its combination of lengthy █ █ psychedelic weirdness and unearthly experimental █ █ state. It is a memorable metal release brewed by █ █ two dreadful hags in their cauldron of an █ █ acid-frenzied inventive black metal recipe as █ █ portrayed on the album's artwork. All of the five █ █ hymns in here has their own way of catching the █ █ audiences' attention and interest, but it's tracks █ █ like 'Dark Energy Equilibrium', 'Where Nameless █ █ Ghouls Weep', and 'A Place Under The Sun' that █ █ stands out the most. "12 Winter Moons Comes the █ █ Witches Brew" was released last February 20th of █ █ this year, so hurry and go get your own copy now █ █ while it's still fresh. █ ▓ ▓ ▒ ▒ ░ 1. Trismegistus 7:10 ░ ░ 2. Dark Energy Equilibrium 11:05 ░ ░ 3. Where Nameless Ghouls Weep 8:01 ░ ░ 4. The Fool Who Persists in His Folly 6:05 ░ ░ 5. A Place Under the Sun 8:46 ░ ░ 41:07 ░ ░ ▒ ▒ ▓ █ ░ ▓ ░ ■ █▄ ░ ██ ▀█▄░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ▓ ░ ▄▄▄▄▄ ░▄██░ ░ ▀████▓█▄▄█████████▓░ ███ ███▓░ █████████▄▄██████▀ ▓ ▓▀▓ ▒███████▀▀ ▀████████▒ ░████████▀ ▀▀███████░▓▀▓ ■ ░ ▄█░█▀▀▄████▄▓ ▀█▀ █▓░ ▒▓█ ▀█▀ ▄████▄ ▀███▄░ ▄█▀░ ░███▀▀▀███▄ ▀█▒ ██▓ ██ ▓█▀ ▄███▀▀▀███░ ▀█░ █▀ ▓██▓ ▄███ ▀█▓ ████ ▒█▀ ▓███▄ ▓██▓ ▀█▓ █▀ ▓██░ ▒██████▓ ▀█ █▓ █▀ ▓██████▒ ░██▓ ▀█ ▒ ▄██ ░███ ▓███▓ ▀░██░▀ ▓███░ ███ ██▄ ▒ ░█▀ ███ ▄▀ ███▄ ▓████▒ ▄███▀▄ ███ ▀█░ ▓█▀ ▄██▄█▀ ░ ██████████████ ▀█▄ ██▄ ▀█▓ █▀ ████▀█▄▓░▄█ ▀██████▀ █▄▓░▄█▀█▄██ ▀█▓ ░ ▄ ██▀ ▀████▀ ▀█▓▀██ ▀████▀ ▀███ ▄ ▒ █░█▓ ██░ █░ █ ░██ ▀██▒█ ███░ ▒█░ ▄ ▓ ▒ ░█▒ ▓███ ░ ▓██ ░ ██▓ ██░ ░██ █▒ ░ ░█ ▀█ █▀ ▓ ░ ░