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The Great Old Ones - Al Azif review




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Reviewer:
8.3

84 users:
7.94
Band: The Great Old Ones
Album: Al Azif
Release date: April 2012


01. Al Azif
02. Visions Of R'lyeh
03. Jonas
04. Rue d'Auseil
05. The Truth
06. My Love For The Stars (Cthulhu Fhtagn)

I am going to preface this review by stating clearly that MS is not on the take. We are not getting baguettes and Bordeaux under the table from the French Ministry of Awesome Music for favorable reviews* for French artists? the French just seem to be doing some great stuff. Deathspell Omega, Glorior Belli, Dirge, Eibon, Blut Aus Nord, and I could go on and on?

Al Azif by The Great Old Ones starts with an ominous build of tension with ringing tones and occasional power chord mashing - dark clouds on the horizon - before a maelstrom of non-Euclidean black metal fury ensues.

Al Azif was the original writing of the Mad Arab, which later found its way to Greece and was dubbed "The Necronomicon", and as one might expect with paeans to the concepts in that book, there are lots of twists and turns on the way. Raging black metal gives way to stark, almost jazzy, interludes, before the band resumes a ferocious assault on your earhole.

Stylistically, I suppose the easiest comparison would be to fellow Frenchmen Deathspell Omega. The Great Old Ones also show an affinity for creating songs with one of old school Darkthrone's greatest traits? a damn near hummable melody line over rampaging tremolo riffing and drum pounding. (Think "Transylvanian Hunger.") They also exhibit the knack for slowing down to a sludge-paced funeral march on other tracks, to find a nice middle ground between the stark dissonance to build tension and the full throttle blackened fury.

The music is also presented in such a way that it feels simultaneously murky and massive, sprawling. The net result is a pretty great sonic spectacle. The shifting moods from ominous build up to blasturbation and back again never allow you to get entirely settled. The moment you feel in place, the floor falls out from underneath you again.

While perhaps not as innovative of other French Masters, I still found this a thoroughly entrancing release. Definitely worth checking out.

Pthagn!

Or whatever.


*While I don't take bribes, if Le Ministre De L'Excellente Musique wants to send a few baguettes and bottles of Bordeaux my way for my efforts in exposing and promoting their works, I will gladly accept all packages.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 8
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 8





Written on 17.04.2012 by BitterCOld has been officially reviewing albums for MetalStorm since 2009.


Comments

Comments: 17   Visited by: 260 users
17.04.2012 - 10:02
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Definitely one of my most anticipated albums this year after hearing the pre-production album last year. Looking forward to this a lot.
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17.04.2012 - 10:05
Nosurper
Stinky Lips
Evian anyone?
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17.04.2012 - 10:29
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
This popped up in my email as a review request but I couldn't describe it very well. In any case I would have scored it a full point lower but it's still some interesting music.

I wish I could say more about what didn't entice me, but then again that's why I didn't bother with wanting to write the review in the first place.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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17.04.2012 - 10:53
Rating: 8
InnerSelf
proofread free
Again : French, Black, Jazzy and Sludgy moments .... sold !
awesome review as always, will keep an eye on this one
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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17.04.2012 - 11:43
Merchant of Doom

Look forward to this... the two tracks I've heard are awesome!
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17.04.2012 - 12:55
Rating: 10
Trëz

There are so much brilliant bands in France. The problem is that in this country metal music is marginalized and ignored by our society. Fortunately, things seem to change, but I do not understand why a band like SUP is not more famous! "Incubation" is one of the best album ever made! No, I'm not getting baguettes and Bordeaux under the table from SUP members... hehehe
Good review, I will listen to "Al Azif".
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17.04.2012 - 14:07
Carl Berg
Carl Berg
Quote:
non-Euclidean black metal


Great description there dude
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17.04.2012 - 14:57
farfaramir

Im going to check this only because of the titles of the songs.
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17.04.2012 - 15:45
Daniell
_爱情_
Froggies strike again it seems. Will check this one out for sure.
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18.04.2012 - 00:38
Unhealer
Eclecticist
I love the whole Great Old Ones thing. I'll check them out.
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18.04.2012 - 06:36
Frank Sinistra

Quote:

....[blasturbation and back again never allow you to get entirely settled...


i think english dictionary should adopt this new word to refer to this band
Hell french black metal acts are always amazing
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18.04.2012 - 13:58
krakenao

Great Review!! Thanx!! Album available here : http://www.lesacteursdelombre.net/productions/label/index.php?reqCode=store&lang=en
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www.lesacteursdelombre.com
cernunnos.lesacteursdelombre.com
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22.04.2012 - 05:02
Rating: 8
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Quote:

...blasturbation


haha we call my drummer Adam "The Blasturbater" Wright
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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05.05.2012 - 17:17
Rating: 8
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
I like this and for an obvious reason: the post and atmospheric elements are clear as day.
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rekt
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02.07.2012 - 21:30
Oaken
Hipster
Al Azif was actually created by Lovecraft, and so it isn't a real book.
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In that case, man is only air as well.
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23.08.2012 - 12:16
Rating: 8
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Damn near hummable is right, can't get this one out of my head.
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05.09.2012 - 15:50
papashawn

The limited double vinyl version is now up for preorder at Antithetic Records! http://www.antitheticrecords.com/shop/the-great-old-ones-al-azif-2xlp/
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