Crimson Moon - Under the Serpentine Spell (2005)
USA
Total Holocaust Records
It wasn't until the first time I listened to Crimson Moon that I began to envision where the path I had been following for some time was leading me. It has remained one of the greatest influences on what I create. "Under the Serpentine Spell" is unlike any other black metal record. The ambience generated by the synths on this one is the element that really makes it stand out. While the production isn't particularly great, it's defnitely ideal for the compositions that make up this lengthy opus. The bass is prominent and has a tone that is suitable for the somewhat muddy sound of the tracks, just like the guitars. Even though the percussions are done with a programmed drum, every aspect of the recordings sounds incredibly good and there is hardly anything that could have been done better. If you listened to other releases of Crimson Moon, you know what to expect from Scorpios' vocals; aggressive, unorthodox and bestial rasps. He also does spoken word vocals in several parts of the record as well as some chants.
The first full-length "To Embrace the Vampyric Blood" is no less impressive and has a more consistent sound throughout its duration, but its successor has had a tremendous impact on underground black metal as well. The guitars are at times more or less buried by the other instruments, but it isn't an issue because the bass is supposed to be just as important in the songs and the riffs could be considered as part of the overall atmosphere. There is so much detail within the recordings that it's easy to remain captivated by it for hours at a time. Everything about it is chaotic yet refined and at times it gets quite eerie and oppressive. The guitars are different from what other bands in the genre have delivered, creating alongside the bass an elaborate and fierce sonic onslaught. Although not so loud, the percussions are powerful and precise, reinforcing the relatively dense soundscape that the other elements culminate into. The intro and outro are magnificent synth compositions that sound both sinister and phantasmagoric, and complement very well the substantial and evocative tracks of this ambitious output.
For me this is a truly marvelous album without any real flaw. Hipsters stay away from this. (Nahas)
Highlights:
The Blood that is Eternal
Amidst the Labyrinths of Depression
Under the Serpentine Spell
Bloodstained Dreams of the Dragon