Moloch/Gurthang - Split (2016)

This is a split between two atmospheric acts, the first one being Moloch from the Ukraine and the other being Gurthang from Poland. Both acts love to use keyboard synths, which is why I deliberately used the term atmospheric, and these synths help to demonstrate a style of atmosphere that I find a bit uneasy.

Here we have something that is the opposite of a meditation with Moloch's opener “Das Uralte Verweilt Dazwischen” which leaves to bring in a vocal influenced piece with spoken word and harsh vocal influence called “Unendlichkeit” which adds in slight guitar drones to accent it's increasingly morose atmosphere. Moloch can't be described as a happy rock act, and the music here is certainly not something for those at the top of their day. If you're feeling a little low, maybe you'll want to give this one a listen. It is certainly depressive, with not even one hint of a drum. It's very ahrd to even consider this a brand of metal, as it seems to want to incorporate industrial bits towards the end.

When we come to the only track offered from Gurthang, we find something that closely resembles black metal a bit more than Moloch did, which might have been the intention there. Gurthang differ, because they actually feature drumming and well, black metal. Their frontman is a bit stronger as well. The lyrics are all in Polish, but the feeling is there. Oddly enough on the only cut we have here, (Of Decay and Solitude) there still remains a spoken word portion like with the latter Moloch track. I tend to prefer this act a little better as far as black metal is concerned and feel that something very grim and awesome could come out of this. It's a bit short though, the band really doesn't kick into high gear until the end, even though drone seems to be a major factor here as well. We'll just have to see how these gentlemen perform in the future as to where the band's next step will be. So far, it's quite promising.

All in all, there are two different styles by which black metal has been referenced here. Moloch seem to want to go into a more industrial or synth-based style, while Gurthang seem more committed to the occult style, even though I don't believe the lyrical matter is that of the occult – it just has much in common with that nearly ritualistic style performed by similar bands. Both acts are worth a listen, so do go ahead and pick it up.

(3 Tracks, 8:00)

7/10