ALBUM REVIEW: Lamp Of Murmuur – Heir of Ecliptical Romanticism

After a series of demos that are popular to say the least (in terms of the underground that is), Raw Black Metallers LAMP OF MURMUUR have finally recorded a full length record. Out via Death Kvlt Productions and Not Kvlt Records on October 2nd.

Blastbeats and warped riffs fire into a frenzied and barbaric assault with dissonance and spectral energies rife in the devastating musical disdain. A rather phrenetic rhythm sways in convulsive ecstasy as haunting vocals join the mix for a ferocious and yet melodically pleasant balance with the superb guitar riffs. The production is still gritty but with a bit more clarity than on the demos, allowing a larger array of ideas to be showcased more clearly. With some thrashy pacing to it, this is a bit less predictable than a lot of the Raw Black Metal that is being churned out in high volumes currently, which his not necessarily a bad thing, but I am glad to see Lamp Of Murmuur standing out from the crowd as they are one of the better acts in this movement. The sense of melody on this new material is astonishing, something that is easy to recognise from very early on.

Contorting and hideously eerie, this is the kind of Black Metal ritual that is focal and yet sparse with huge layering of simplistic but incredibly effective musicianship. The drum sound is tight and heavy while the riffs are creepy and thin with reverberating ghastliness to be found throughout, even in the more punchy and choppy sections. With a surprisingly diverse palette of instrumentals, the howling maniacal vocal approach is still here and offers a consistency of primitive screeching incantations to the cascade of darkness. Another surprise on this record is the warmth of the bass tone which actually accentuates the guitars haunting nature with a much thicker feel to the tone. Things are clearly maturing in the Lamp Of Murmuur process. While I have mentioned progression in songwriting and musicianship, fear not, this is still the hellish inferno of blistering Black Metal violence that so many have been psyching themselves up for.

Clearly holding a candle to 90s Black Metal alongside Les Legions Noire, this has a far more unique approach than anything prior from the band, which may be slightly less fluid but still feels like an organic rite of desolate melancholy excellence. Thoroughly haunting and magnificently cold, this is some furiously untamed, visceral material from Lamp Of Murmuur that surpassed my expectations for their debut record. Throughout the album, piercing guitars and crisp bass keeps a punishing display of discordance at the heart of the music as the eerie vocals trail off into the abyss amidst a crashing blizzard of cymbals and pounded snares / kicks. Synths are utilised in a far more sombre nature with a subtle gleam interspersing the savagery. The unhinged approach to the music is absolutely unforgiving and yet has a tranquility to the heavily nuanced darkness, perhaps only for the more twisted mind.

Enter the murky void that is Lamp Of Murmuur’s debut full length and dance in the depraved, glistening twilight that is encapsulated in this barbaric and ancient tome of demonic meditation. A cold and desolate void that is not easy to traverse but certainly is rewarding for those whom can handle the anguishing nature of this project. -8/10