ALBUM REVIEW: Oldlands – Source Of Eternal Darkness

Back in 2019 ancient Black Metal tyrant OLDLANDS from Brazil released its debut full length album. Out now via Ancient Entity Records.

Grim ambience and beautiful clean guitars start the album off with melody and atmospherics that are truly tranquil, something that cannot be said for what lies ahead. Blastbeats and melancholic guitars drive out a forceful raw Black Metal onslaught with thundering bass that cuts through the mix gorgeously, something rare in raw Black Metal. The howling vocals and discordant progressions give some flare to the record to set it out from the crowd while still maintaining the appeal of utterly rupturing rawness that hits hard with a piercing icy spearhead of aggressions and tormenting ferocity. This material is punishingly harsh, cold and akin to the Scandinavian bands (especially the Finnish) with their sombre yet pummelling approach to the extreme arts. Oldlands have a rivetingly brilliant songwriting style and macabre execution to match, conjuring the demons of ancient Black Metal, the flame definitely burning with strength here. Destructive, chaotic and barbaric, this is a totally killer album that should not be overlooked. The guitar solos are soulful, giving contrast to the mesmerising rhythmic attacks and overall we get a really well-rounded album with plenty of memorable, haunting and epic tracks. Within the ravaging tempest of Black Metal that burns like an inferno with pure disdain, there is also melancholy and melody to be found with some riffs almost dancing beneath the chaos of blastbeats and tremolo picking annihilation, all of which work beautifully with the maniacal howls of the vocalist. Diverse, raw, cutting and monstrous, this record slays. -8/10