SCHAMMASCH

I saw Schammasch on this album's tour, during a manic last-minute trip to Manchester that sticks firmly in my memory as the trip where I left my beloved brolly on the train. I had listened to this a few times in the build-up to that show, but I don't really remember much sticking with me, nor did I find the live show particularly worth the trip. But returning to it, I can at least say this isn't short on style, even if it only has a fraction of the substance of its predecessor.

At the least, it's really cool to hear a band take the atmosphere of modern post-Deathspell black metal and apply it to sounds beyond the walls of the black metal genre. Triangle's best moments weren't even metal at all, and this continues that theme with some wonderful ambient sections, heightened progressive and avant-garde elements, and even use of goth rock clean vocals. It means that no two songs do the same thing, a serious rarity in black metal, and even if the songs aren't as memorable as what they've done before, there's a creativity that's to be admired here, and I think they'll continue to innovate with this sound in interesting ways going forward.

7.6 (6th listen)

Part of my listening diary from my facebook music blog - www.facebook.com/TheExoskeletalJunction