_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _
___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___
| / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ |
| . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . |
| .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. |
_ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _
\\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | //
\ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | /
. | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | .
| | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | |
.... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | ....
| ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` |
|.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....|
. ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. .
_____________:_____________ _____________:_____________
_ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _
// __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\
_ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _
\\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/f3!///
- -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- -
- -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ -
: : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : :
___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___
_\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_
/_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\
/// . . : : . . \\\
/: :\
/:: Artist :: Highland ::\
:: Album :: Loyal to the Nightsky ::
:: Year :: 2017 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CDDA . ::
:: Label :: Self-released R.date :: 2017.07.06 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: N/A Size :: 119,36 MB __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.98.4 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 286kbps : .
. Quality :: 44,1kHz/Joint Stereo .
. .
Website :: https://www.facebook.com/highland666/
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 01. Loyal to the Nightsky 05:58 ::
:: 02. Towards the Absolute 04:58 ::
:: 03. Burning in Forgotten Times 05:32 ::
:: 04. Cycle of the Eternal Wheel 04:35 ::
:: 05. Wallachian Night Terror 02:09 ::
:: 06. Abu Sindi 03:46 ::
:: 07. Immortal Queen 07:02 ::
:: 08. T.S.F.t. 05:49 ::
:: 09. Set Aflame the Path to Zion 03:29 ::
:: 10. Nocturnal Deathstrike 06:31 ::
:: 11. Rituals in the TwilightÆs Darkness 08:25 ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 58:14 ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: US black metal has always been a shady area for me. Other ::
:: than a few highlights, like Colorado's Cobalt, I've had no ::
:: luck with anything particularly memorable. Well, it's a good ::
:: job I mentioned Cobalt, because, at times, the strangely- ::
:: named Highland (maybe they have Scottish ancestry) strongly ::
:: resemble Erik Wunder's brainchild at points. But most ::
:: importantly, the grim trio from California definitely ::
:: command their own sound; that of ferocious and addictive ::
:: black metal which is 100% devoted to the style. Loyal To The ::
:: Nightsky is the band's first full-length output following a ::
:: self-titled EP in 2013, and is of superb quality, despite ::
:: being released independently. ::
:: ::
:: The Americans waste no time with ambient intros/build-ups, ::
:: but choose to launch straight into the blazing title track - ::
:: drums a-blasting, riffs a-blazing and throats a-shredding. ::
:: The production quality is noticeably superb: everything is ::
:: clear (even the bass at times!) and the guitars, whilst ::
:: retaining some characteristic fuzz, are riffing with ::
:: clarity. Contrary to most of my favourite black metal acts, ::
:: Gevork Matevosyan's vocals are practically shrieking in your ::
:: ear. It's a pleasure to hear such well-executed screams ::
:: right up front in the mix. Kudos also to drummer Michael ::
:: Semerdjian (from these guys' surnames, I've got a feeling ::
:: they may be Armenian) for blasting away tirelessly without ::
:: ever sounding mechanical or soulless. The entirety of the LP ::
:: is a wonderfully wholesome sound that would be a pleasure to ::
:: have on in the background of any party in the woods. ::
:: ::
:: This trio are at their best when the vicious riffs take the ::
:: helm. This is made effective by building the grim atmosphere ::
:: with plenty of typical dissonance on the ol' tremolo ::
:: guitars, then slamming down into a focused and direct riff ::
:: that forces you to snap your neck. This first hits 2 minutes ::
:: into the sophomore track "Towards The Absolute"; that kind ::
:: of mid-tempo riff is pure Burzum-worship, and all the better ::
:: for it. Thank Varg for third track "Burning In Forgotten ::
:: Times" - a crawling, doomy affair that is drowning in riffs ::
:: like these. It also displays Highland's penchant for variety ::
:: in a genre easily stagnated. Loyal To The Nightsky can bring ::
:: the tempo down without losing one inch of intensity. ::
:: ::
:: Such a wonderfully structured album does not come off as ::
:: memorable straight away, but rather holds your attention for ::
:: the entire endeavour until you want to listen to it fully ::
:: all over again. Both "Immortal Queen" and finale "Rituals In ::
:: The Twilight's Darkness" (could there be a more black metal ::
:: song name?) carry this off superbly; both are deeply rich ::
:: and varied compositions which beg to be repeated due to ::
:: their many layers. In stark contrast, tracks like ::
:: "Wallachian Night Terror" offer a short, sharp blast of fury ::
:: in no more than 2 minutes - ensuring things never fester. If ::
:: you're looking for the next game-changer in black metal, ::
:: then look somewhere else - but with Loyal To The Nightsky, ::
:: Highland have gifted us with a whole hour of vicious, but ::
:: elegantly performed, black metal that should meet the needs ::
:: of all genre die-hards. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
\: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/
__\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2017 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__
\\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO///
\ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: /
:: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | ::
: :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: :
:: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | ::
:: | | \ :|: / | | ::
: : | . ` ::: ' . | : :
. . | : ::: : | . .
| :::....:::....::: |
: ::::::::::::::::: :
. :::''``:::''``::: .
: ::: :
. ::: .
.:.
: