Editor’s note: For our first black metal review, I figured I’d call on Andy, our resident black metal authority to lend an ear and share his thoughts.

Andy’s Review:

Since 1980 with the arrival of Venom, black metal has found its throne at the forefront of a shifting metal scene. There has always been some sort of controversy with what black metal really is, and who supplies the “truest blackened sound”. Whether you’re a fan of the early years of Bathory & Hellhammer or the 2nd wave with Mayhem & Emperor, you have to admit, it’s gotten even more interesting at present day (I’m sure I’ll have my balls cut off, liquefied and placed in a chalice to devour along side a bloody lamb dinner for saying that). These days, black metal has broken the mold of satanic ideologies, corpse paint, and 6″ spikes to just some regular dudes with beards and shaggy hair who look like they should be playing in Eyehategod. Whatever it is about black metal that changes, it definitely isn’t the gargantuan atmosphere that permeates from its sickening pores.

After researching the black metal movement for some time now, I have yet to hear of an Irish black metal band. Excited? Hell yes! If I hadn’t known these lads were metal before seeing the artwork, I probably would’ve looked this over. With their new full length White Tomb, Altar of Plagues display a pummeling, emotional, aggression… taking primitive black metal and experimentation to new heights. The first track “Earth: As a Womb” reeks of Isis, with its subtle fade-in and delicately delayed guitars. This builds for 2+ minutes, at which point the black metal persona of AoP is unleashed like a kick to the junk that insults with its ugliness and excites with barbaric force. Unfortunately, from here on out, it’s much of the same stale formula. It’s exciting at first, don’t get me wrong, but I would’ve preferred longer bm passages to the noiseless, boring stuff. The songs on White Tomb teeter on mellow Isis-styled experimentation and strong black metal riffs, which at times, don’t seem to fit the same puzzle. Coming from a country that has been completely silent in the black metal scene, I was hoping for a little more of something I hadn’t heard before.

Overall, the production is pretty damn good. It has a nasty, overly-noisy distorted feel to it that sounds like a train about to derail. The guitars are the perfect blend of primitive Darkthrone-fuzz and that Wolves in the Throne Room “creepy cave” sound. The searing vocals (although your typical black metal screams) bleed through the speakers with intense sincerity and conviction. The rhythm section plows & crushes through the thick whirring of buzzing guitars and screams, capitalizing on total brutality and passion.

As White Tomb proceeds for almost 50 minutes, it expresses a lot of emotion, dragging and pulling to get its point across… these guys aren’t fucking around. If this is the direction that (one of the many) different sub genres of black metal will continue in, I can’t say I would be unhappy (even if it does in fact, become the “next sound” for the black metal hipster to indulge in). After all, music shouldn’t have a face to its sound.

Andy’s Rating:

King says: “If you’re curious to know what Isis skull fucking Wolves in the Throne Room sounds like, I’d recommended picking this one up.”

Justin’s Review:

Ireland isn’t exactly known for its stellar exports in the world of metal. In fact, when I think of Irish music in general, the bloated drunk-punk babbling of bands like The Tossers come to mind (or even worse, anything post-1987 by U2). So in that regard, discovering a band of New-Wave Black Metal Irishmen was a feckin’ delight.

Being that Altar of Plagues take a page (or two) from “Post-Rock for Dummies”, they will no doubt draw comparisons to their bm brethren Wolves in the Throne Room (giving Pitchfork readers yet another black metal band to get a boner over). A fair comparison, though though with White Tomb, AoP takes tree-hugging black metal to a much darker, more foreboding place. To quote guitarist/vocalist/synth player James O’Ceallaigh; “The sentiment of White Tomb goes beyond [the Apocalypse], it describes a mass disconnection with the Earth” (to note… this lyrical sampling: “A once sacred womb, now more akin to a furnace“). An interesting concept for sure, and one the AoP handles with a great deal of integrity as the album progresses.

Technically speaking, White Tomb is divided into two songs, (“Earth” and “Through the Collapse“) each comprised of two separate movements. While that’s perfect for your “black-metal-on-the-go” playlist, it doesn’t really do the material justice. Have you ever tried watching Goodfellas with commercial breaks? Yeah, same shit. Like any good cinematic endeavor, White Tomb works best when experienced as a whole. So, despite the bleak outlook, AoP certainly prove a good point… the end of the world will suck, but it’s going to sound pretty damn cool.

Whether you’re a bm n00b, a veteran corpse-painted snob, or simply wonder about the sonic qualities of our planet’s undoing, I’d recommend picking up this disc. Or maybe buy the mp3s… they’re greener. Just make sure to listen without distraction.

Justin’s Rating:

King says: “Never seen An Inconvenient Truth? Don’t bother… listen to White Tomb instead.”

Have A Listen:

Altar of Plagues – Earth: As a Womb (Sample):

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