ALBUM REVIEW: Crom Dubh – Firebrands And Ashes

Here I review the brand new album from Saxon Black Metal craftsmen, CROM DUBH! Out today via Van Records.

1. Boreal opens with tearing guitar atmospherics and funeral march drums, coming in with militant strength that grows in atmosphere and forcefulness alike. Opening with prowess and strength, I am sure something totally excellent is coming. The mournful guitar builds work beautifully at concocting something foreboding yet filled with a battle-ready glory. This was a great introduction.
2. Firebrands And Ashes follows up with piercing riffs and blastbeats joined by blistering vocals, all filled with melancholy yet a violent passion that is impactful from the very start. Melodic yet chillingly cold with a fierce pace that is ambient yet pounding, the band certainly take no time in driving the nail in with folky lead work and a really upbeat pace that is fun yet still remains dark, brooding with true Black Metal atmosphere. The roaring bass guitar beautifully finds its way through the mix to contrast the icy guitars with warm rumbling while intricate drums complete the well-mixed instrumental backup to the macabre howls. A wonderful piece.
3. Last Dust soars in with more glacial riffing and hammering drum work that further churns out more atmospheric gorgeousness with a fiercely haunting, emotive nature to the cascading melodies, brought into life with such intense musicianship and vocal performance that it truly draws you in with mesmerising and skilful soundscapes that are truly masterful. The classical vibes of the dancing guitars gives a stunning waltz to the mournfully blasting Black Metal insanity with a depraved and perturbing sound to the vocals that is impactful over such crushing instrumental brilliance. Excellent work.
4. Ram In A Thicket begins with surging melodies from the guitars and military drums that builds to cavernous and sparse chord work, building tension before we dive into thrashing attacks with a folky sway present once more. Utterly hypnotic are the bars of chanting and convulsions of instruments with a glorious self-awareness that screams confidence with such powerfully crafted musical conjurations that you must find yourself enticed by their ferocity. There is an eastern influence that seems to appear on some of the melodies adding a gorgeous diversity to the Saxon Black Metal war-cries. The melodies are so bitter-sweet that they really to intrusively seem to bite at you. Magnificent.
5. Burning brings in further waves of sombre guitars that continues piercing through over chiming drum work like icicles, attacking you with a mournful spark that grows into an inferno of atmospherics and audacity with a beautifully orchestrated build up. The swaying folky melodies and decimating Black Metal attacks work in equal measures to violently hurl forth a barrage of blitzing instrumental work and vocals while retaining that strong core melody that has been consistent throughout. While the piercing high end is certainly characteristic of Black Metal, the evidently higher production value really allows the folkiness to shine through. A brilliant and haunting piece of truly awe-inspiring atmosphere.
6. Astride The Grave sets off with energetically thrashing instruments that pound away at you before the gliding soar of atmospheric cascades draws in for more huge walls of cavernously monstrous and tormenting Black Metal. Unhinging vocals tear away over the sorrowful instrumentals that are beautifully balanced with folk-fuelled melodics to add a lively energy to the music. With such varied soundscapes, you would think there would be some transitional void but the band tie things together so well with some fantastic grooves that show a truly professional mindset on song-crafting that makes for a smooth experience without jarring intervals. Marvellous.
7. Endless Night brings in the closing piece with slightly dissonant yet still rather upbeat guitar work over punchy drums, slightly unnerving and jarring textures punch through the atmosphere for a hopefully further darkened final jaunt. Sure enough the far more morbid sounds of the vocalist over the discordant yet still rather melodic instruments assures me that this final song will take a bleaker, more disturbing twist. Piercing lead guitars burn through the mix with an icy and searing quality to them that reminds me of bands such as Sargeist and Nargaroth with a rawly crisp attack to them over the grinding rhythms and blastbeats. With the chilling vocals, the haunting atmospherics of this song further grow throughout in layers of densely packed, intricate and nuanced Black Metal excellency with a gorgeously varied and exciting approach that keep you on your toes from start to finish. A grand finale indeed, fantastic.

If you enjoy the folk-tinged and melodic side of Black Metal, then this release will certainly satisfy your cravings for a well-crafted and intellectual release that remains full of fiery spirit and raw aggression, though coupled with an unmistakable musical prowess that they are not afraid to show. Certainly a great pillar of the UK Black Metal scene and a great starting point for those unfamiliar with it. -8.5/10