Remmirath - Shambhala Vril Saucers review
| Band: | Remmirath |
| Album: | Shambhala Vril Saucers |
| Style: | Avantgarde black metal |
| Release date: | March 14, 2015 |
| A review by: | Auntie Sahar |
01. Tiger Of The City
02. Shambhala Vril Saucers
03. The Gunfighter's Quest For Enlightenment
04. Fox Cooper
05. Iram Of The Pillars
06. The Coming Of Kalki
Every listening year, for metal or otherwise, is bound to have at least one or two "ninja albums" lurking somewhere in the shadows. It's a strange phenomenon, but simple enough to understand. These are the types of albums that seem to just pop out of nowhere at you, with a distinct flair that makes them go from "this is pretty good" to AOTY status in your book too fast for you to even know what happened. For me, these are albums like Hail Spirit Noir's debut in 2012, or Cult Of Fire's one with the Hindi title the year after. Or, in the case of 2015, Remmirath's Shambhala Vril Saucers.
Remmirath's sophomore effort is the sort of album that only seems to puzzle the more it seems to intrigue, and it's no easy meal to digest. The musicians in this band are seemingly hellbent on making listeners know that they're working with something different here, and it's a lesson that's taught pretty harshly right from the get go. The music is, speaking loosely, a highly peculiar and ambiguous form of black metal, that twists and turns into uncharted territories at an almost random, uncontrollable will. One moment you're blasting away with some riproaring guitars and beats set to vocals not unlike those of early Behemoth, and it's anything goes from there. A quick look at some of the instrumentation credits for this album should get any left field black metal fan's mouth watering, which include personnel on maracas, jaw harp, glockenspiel, throat singing, and more.
Perhaps the most interesting and enjoyable feature of Shambhala Vril Saucers, which goes hand in hand with its stylistic complexity, is the degree to which Remmirath musically allude to other bands here without just imitating them entirely. In particular there are heavy hints of influence from bands like Sigh and The Meads Of Asphodel, whether it's in the strange electronic effects that are employed ("Tiger Of The City"), the psychedelic-drenched guitar playing ("Fox Cooper"), or the overall rapid juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated styles (just listen to how that third track brilliantly descends into stoner-esque jammage). Yet although this is the musical legacy to which Remmirath are obviously heirs, there's still a wonderful feeling with this album that what they're creating with their music is unmistakably their own.
Shambhala Vril Saucers is one of the special types of albums whose inherently quirky atmosphere is a large part of what lends to its lasting, alluring power. This is most definitely the sort of album where you'll be likely to notice something you didn't before with each subsequent listen. It's deeply layered and complex, while also having an inherent hook to it that makes it catchy and also strangely meditative from a different perspective (the cover art actually is highly appropriate). If you're down for a challenge, albeit a highly rewarding one, don't let this album pass you by and fade into obscurity. Because Remmirath seriously deserve more than that.
Go see what all the fuss is about.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 10 |
| Originality: | 9 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written by Auntie Sahar | 03.11.2015
Comments
Comments: 26
Visited by: 403 users
| toxx Supreme being Posts: 390  |
Listening to it now. This might be among my absolute favorites this year! Never heard about this band before, so thank you for that! Great review!
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62018  |
These are the types of albums that seem to just pop out of nowhere at you I agree and now it did because of review, staff review, I would not even notice if it would be ordinary, anyway I don't think I will listen this, give a spin abit but its all
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Karlabos Posts: 5736  |
That album is cute. Especially The Gunfighter's Quest for Enlightenment
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989  |
Written by toxx on 03.11.2015 at 10:49 All I have to say is... pay attention to the Shoutbox on here, man. It's how I found this beast of an album in the first place 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Hellcult Posts: 346  |
Well i don't like it, maybe it is because of a black metal sub genere, i don't mind progressive (would recommend Aenaon!) but this avantgarde BM is not my cup of tea. Would recommend Angelus Apatrida, Blaze of Perdition and Sylois, as a new band, well at least for me they are new 
---- And I see the blade fall down upon the head of lord in heaven And Darkness falls upon the end of history While I drink the milk of the Black Goddess and cry over the mankind Black Moses is my name...
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Karlabos on 03.11.2015 at 13:34 Favorite track here, I love the transition it goes through about halfway in to the more crunchy, rock-based sound. One could even say there's a bit of a classic heavy metal influence to that section, I hear some Priest type riffs hiding around in there
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| BloodTears ANA-thema Elite Posts: 11835  |
The cover is amazing, hope the music is as good
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| Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857  |
Fun album! They are very tongue-in-cheek about their styling, which is always a big plus for me. Written by Auntie Sahar on 03.11.2015 at 13:38 Indeed. I find it very reminiscent to Enslaved's "Mardraum: Beyond The Within" (which is a must for any starter pack in looking for something different in black metal).
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| Cynic Metalhead Ambrish Saxena Posts: 7562  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 03.11.2015 at 13:35 Correct. I've found many good albums via shoutbox. Just look upon some good recs there.
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| Zap Posts: 3579  |
Hahaha didn't have to wait long to see this featured. Great album. Also, I didn't think this was a hard meal to digest at all. Pretty easy listening for the most part. I instantly started dancing so there's that.
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| Vombatus Potorro Posts: 2391  |
Wasn't impressed when I heard it on the recommendation thread. It's that kind of album you listen once, think "oh, it's nice. Ok." and then never go back.
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| Alakazam spendin' cheese Posts: 1218  |
It's rather pleasing to hear how much they like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Syd Barrett at the last track.....
---- I may not have the largest collection but I certainly have the absolute best 
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by BloodTears on 03.11.2015 at 14:01 I do see this as being something you'd highly enjoy. It is actually quite progressive, but with a bit of a spacey, psychedelic undertone to it, sort of like Hawkwind at their peak in the 70s. Wouldn't be surprised if the band are huge Hawkwinds fans either due to the fact that on this album they're really emulating another band that is massively influenced by them as well (The Meads Of Asphodel)
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Vombatus on 03.11.2015 at 18:59 Honestly a bit surprised to hear you say that, as I remember from talking to you in the past that you're about as big a Meads fan as I am, and this is an album that I'd find it hard to believe Meads fans wouldn't enjoy
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| toxx Supreme being Posts: 390 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 03.11.2015 at 13:35 There are indeed gems hidden in that sb from time to time. I check it every day
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Zap on 03.11.2015 at 18:08 Remember, you, me, Karlabos, Joe, Rod, Mahdi, etc... we listen to some WEIRD shit. With that part of the review I'm mostly speaking to the p̶l̶e̶b̶s̶ majority MS population
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| AsRemmirath Posts: 2 |
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by AsRemmirath on 04.11.2015 at 18:01 Well, thank you for the clarification! I certainly didn't mean to imply that you guys are copying the Meads, merely that the approach taken here reminded me of them quite a bit, and that I could see fans of them really enjoying you guys as well  I can really hear the classic 80s/90s metal sound especially on The Gunfighter's Quest For Enlightenment, yet these French Avantgarde artists you mention I honestly have not heard of. So now I have some new rulebreakers to investigate, thank you!
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Vombatus Potorro Posts: 2391 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 04.11.2015 at 04:44 I listened to it again and it gets better (title track is boss) once I focus on everything that's going on (since it goes in wacky direction sometimes), which is hard on a first try. Also, I really did not associate this with the Meads, even on the first spin. But now that you mention it, structure wise plus some of the interludes are kinda reminiscent... Anyway, the guitarist seems to have cleared up the real influences
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Vombatus on 05.11.2015 at 01:01 Glad you're enjoying it more then. It is indeed a real grower, but not really a slow grower. I'd say that if you go from "meh" to "holy shit, this is amazing" with this album, it's going to happen pretty fast So it seems the joke's on me with misinterpreting the Meads influence then I guess maybe it's due to the fact that I listen to them so much, but I do indeed here a lot of sporadic style transitions, the psychedelic guitar influence, and the techo elements like on the fourth track or in the middle of the first... and it just screams Meads to me, hahahaha. J.D. Tait's composing style has corrupted me completely 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| AsRemmirath Posts: 2 |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.11.2015 at 01:17 The "wild" style transitions were mostly inspired by Mr. Bungle, especially the 2nd album Disco Volante. You might be right about the Sigh influence though, not as much as a direct musical inspiration, but I like their music and listen to a lot of stuff that inspires them as well - again those weird artists from the 70s mostly. When it comes to wacky electronic sounds, some people were already using them as far back as in the 50s/early 60s - like this guy for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pehihWNMgMY, or some composers like Stockhausen. All of that stuff inspires us massively.
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| Fat & Sassy! Elite Posts: 3857 |
Written by AsRemmirath on 04.11.2015 at 18:01 I friggin' *knew* it. I was gonna mention similarities (absolutely love Solefald), but I've grown hesitant to take it upon myself and generalize the entirety of an artist's work to another's. It can sometimes sound kinda underhanded. This album is pretty great, and I think you were successful at crafting the sound you intended to make! c:
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by AsRemmirath on 05.11.2015 at 02:19 I knew I heard some Mr. Bungle in here as well, cool to hear that you're a fan. Although I must admit that I haven't heard that particular album, so now I'm quite interested in checking it out! 
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| Ras Posts: 9 |
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| boo-boo Posts: 208  |
This is truly amazing, definitely among my top albums this year. Anyway, I love MetalStorm - was not aware at all that such a band exists in my country.
---- World won't end today - it's already tomorrow in Australia.
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| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989 |
Written by Ras on 15.11.2015 at 15:29 It's what I'm here for
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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