Djiwo - Darbha Pūrwadakṣiṇa Paścimottara EP

Labels: Self-Released/Ancient Horror Records/Death Prayer Records

Formats: Self-Release/Tape/CD

Release Date: 03 Dec 2023

Tracklist:

1. Amuk Lor

2. Amuk Waitan

3. Amuk Kuluan

4. Amuk Kidul

Cult UK black/death metal label Death Prayer Records are about to embark on their next chapter and in anticipation, I wanted to write about one of their most recent releases that expands upon their lust and love for extreme music from ever widening corners of the world. Enter stage left Indonesian raw black metal entity Djiwo. A force amongst the Indonesian extreme metal community for over a decade now, Djiwo has released two full-lengths (including 2023's Svvanantaka, which was released on tape via Death Prayer) and a demo, they have recently officially released their latest EP Darbha Pūrwadakṣiṇa Paścimottara.

Initially released last December on limited tape from Ancient Horror Records, which was available at their Anno Mortis Live #1 showcase in Bali (if my sources are correct), the EP was then self-released digitally by Djiwo and immediately followed by a CD release through Death Prayer Records just last month.

The Autumn nights are truly setting in now and soon it will be Winter. Maybe that’s why I’m feeling the grim, cold pull of black metal all of a sudden. While the UK and Scandinavia might be the first port of call for most BM fans, I’m visiting warmer climes tonight in the form of Indonesia and it’s mysterious entity Djiwo. Raw, lo-fi black is what’s presented here and I for one don’t disagree with that billing as EP opener ‘Amuk Lor’ begins. I thought that both Black Cilice and Pa Vesh En presented a similar approach, but Djiwo’s is on a different plain. That’s not me being derogatory though, as the band nails the sound perfectly.

As is usually the case, I’m battling with the noise generated by my neighbours (generally loud slamming of doors, stomping footsteps and irrationally loud coughing), but I’m pressing on regardless. ‘Amuk Waitan’ is the perfect way to do that with it’s murky, percussion-led atmospherics and tortured screams. While it’s song-structure might seem maddening and chaotic to a layman (like said neighbour), it is in fact very entrancing and immersive despite it’s obvious intensity.

Djiwo present an ever growing and unnerving musical evolution in third song ‘Amuk Kuluan’, which opens with a truly haunting melodic intro before transitioning into the safety of their rhythmic yet disparate black metal. Considering it’s the EP’s longest song, it speeds along and it’s over before you really have time to take it in.

EP closer ‘Amuk Kidul’ is somewhat pleasing on the ear (If that’s even the right way to describe it) as Djiwo once again settle into a groovy, almost hypnotic black metal hymn. Obviously, all music is subjective and the more extreme it gets the more it becomes so. If you’re already a fan of black metal then you’ll no doubt lap this up. If not, then that’s fine but taking a chance once in a while is a good thing too. Djiwo has made a great case for both Indonesian extreme music but also for their own inclusion on many end-of-year lists come the end of the year. Great stuff.

The EP is available to purchase as a name-your-price download via bandcamp below:-

Djiwo - https://www.facebook.com/djiwoofficial

Both tape copies from Ancient Horror Records and CD copies from Death Prayer Records are sold out.

If there are any inaccuracies above regarding release information, please don't hesitate to contact me via tnio@outlook.com.

Ancient Horror Records - https://www.facebook.com/ancienthorrorrecords

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/@deathprayerrecords

Ilat Mahru - Ilat Mahru

Labels: Death Prayer Records

Formats: Tape/Digital

Release Date: 03 Feb 2023

Tracklist:

1. Engorging Sacred Twilight Venom

2. Mystic Possessor

3. Relentless Tolling Across A Thousand Leagues

4. To Yearn, To Suffer

The mysterious black metal debut release from Egypt's Ilat Mahru is my muse this evening. Published both as a limited tape pressing and digitally via UK black metal label Death Prayer Records in February of last year, it was the first time this solo-project had been cast into the ears of eager, underground seeking black metal maniacs. This only came to my attention in early February of this year and while a good few months have passed since (and a new EP has dropped), I wanted to retrace steps and start at the beginning.

Death Prayer Records have been unearthing and releasing some truly top notch black metal over recent years. Ilat Mahru are indeed another great find as is proven by this self-titled debut demo. Opener ‘Engorging Sacred Twilight Venom’ is filled with raw black metal, ambience and gracious amounts of feedback. The vocals and indeed the melodies are buried deep beneath those previously mentioned elements, yet they still get chance to breath and alter the sound of the song (even if they’re overpowered by the intense percussion).

One thing that is for certain on Ilat Mahru is that there’s no skimping on playing time, as each of the four songs surpass well over six minutes. ‘Mystic Possessor’ ratchets up the urgency a little bit, though it still gives the perception of changing tempos even when it really isn’t doing so. That’s the beauty of being able to concoct truly atmospheric music in my opinion. Musicians can make a song sound expansive and/or slow, without it actually being so. Ilat Mahru does that here perfectly.

This demo is so engrossing that I haven’t even noticed how bloody humid this evening has become. It’s apt because the next song is called ‘Relentless Tolling Across A Thousand Leagues’. It does nothing to cool the temperature, thought it’s delivered in such a way that it freezes even the warmest of hearts. There’s something intrinsically avant-garde about it too, but I wouldn’t get too hung on that.

Demo closer ‘To Yearn, To Suffer’ is very instrumentally heavy, as was the opener. The vocals are still present but again they’re shrouded at times. I’m not saying that they should be given prominence over the instrumentation but I know that some purists like that to be the case. Whatever your preference, Ilat Mahru makes something so abject sound so fulfilling without losing any integrity.

As with all music genres, how it sounds and how it makes you feel is subjective. The term black metal has become stretched and (sometimes) misused in recent years. It definitely applies to Ilat Mahru. Hopefully, we can all agree on that.

You can stream and purchase this demo digitally via Death Prayer Records below:-

Tape copies are sold out.

Ilat Mahru - https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Ilat_Mahru/

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/deathprayerrecords

Kõukude Tants - Lyndanise Ood

Labels: Self-Released/Death Prayer Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 28 Jun 2021

Tracklist:

1. Aadelkonna Etüüd

2. Lyndanise Ood

3. Sajatus - ole õnnistatud, pööbel

4, Klaasikillud ja tulised haavlid

5. Kõnts

6. Viimane vale - ehk katkuaja esimesed päevad

When I was invited to the Death Prayer Records listening party for the Solstice Pyre release, I was also invited to the subsequent listening party for the label's re-release of the 2021 EP from Estonian black metal band Kõukude Tants. To this day Lyndanise Ood exists as the only release to come from the duo, who are part of the Lyndanise Coven that also includes fellow Estonian black metal bands Lihunik, Soerd and Tomb Veneration. Where Solstice Pyre was more symphonic, Kõukude Tants deals in a sound that embodies rawness.

After a little break of sorts, the mundane way in which I’ve spent my bank holiday Monday has finally got the better of me. It has pulled me back to a release I listened to a couple of weeks ago for the first time. Lyndanise Ood struck me straight away with it’s true organic approach. The noisy blueprint laid down by Estonia’s Kõukude Tants is not dissimilar to that of their neighbours in Finland, which doesn’t come as a surprise given their obvious proximity. EP opener ‘Aadelkonna Etüüd’ sees the duo of Oraat Von Talyna and 

Presbüter (both whom provide guitar/bass/vocals) being accompanied by session drummer USB, whom I hope isn’t a real USB device for my sake! The trio performs black metal at it’s coldest, harking back to the genre’s early days here.

The title song ‘Lyndanise Ood’ comes across as being slightly more scaled-back musically, but due to that it allows the band’s personality to come across more obviously. Hints of industrial show through during the rhythmic mid-section and it’s slower tempo. The pace-shift works perfectly and makes the song sound no less harrowing. ‘Sajatus - ole õnnistatud, pööbel’ follows a similar trajectory, just with more dissonance. It doesn’t morph into any sort of progressive black metal number, so have no fear but it does show Kõukude Tants growing musically. 

Just as I talk about musical growth (albeit subtly), I’m brought back down with a thud thanks to the opening vocals of ‘Klaasikillud ja tulised haavlid’, which are rawness personified. The rest of the song continues in much the same vein, but with more of that dissonance I talked about earlier. There’s a slight nod to French black metal luminaries Deathspell Omega hidden within as well. Penultimate song ‘Kõnts’ is packaged up alongside the band’s more urgent/up-tempo songwriting, raising the heartbeat and the expectation for what’s to come from the EP’s closer.

‘Viimane vale - ehk katkuaja esimesed päevad’ is that closer and it rounds out Lyndanise Ood with a nod to death/doom as well as the now familiar black metal that makes up this EP. It’s an engrossing and enjoyable song (if that’s acceptable to say), as it shows how musically talented Kõukude Tants are. To sum this release up, I’d call it surprising in the best way. All music is subjective but when I first hit play on this, I wasn’t expecting it to be as atmospheric and as musical as it is.

Estonian black metal has a rich underground community and is up-and-coming. It’s important for fans of the genre to know that such bands exist. Popularity isn’t important, but the music is.

You can stream and purchase the EP digitally below, where it's also available to buy on tape and on vinyl:-

You can also purchase copies from Death Prayer Records here - https://www.deathprayerrecords.com/shop/

Kõukude Tants/Lyndanise Coven - https://www.facebook.com/LyndaniseCoven/

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/deathprayerrecords

Solstice Pyre - The Sighting Of Ethereal Dimension

 Labels: Self-Released/Death Prayer Records

Formats: Digital/Vinyl

Release Date: 07 Jan 2023

Tracklist:

1. The Spawn Of Havoc

2. Negative Dimensional Vortices

3. The Burning Citadel

4. Requiem For The Fallen

5. On The Edge Of The World

UK black metal label Death Prayer Records put on back-to-back bandcamp listening parties last Friday. The first one was to promote the vinyl release of the debut EP The Sighting Of Ethereal Dimension by Indonesian symphonic black metal band Solstice Pyre. It's great to see the label championing yet more bands from further afield. There isn't a lot of info out there about them, so while things are kept mysterious, their music will do the talking.

Solstice Pyre begin in the most bombastic fashion with the melodic/symphonic tones of ‘The Spawn Of Havoc’, which manage to shroud their cold and raw black metal. At times it’s similar to the sound of Bal-Sagoth, yet the music contained here is less entrenched in fantasy. ’Negative Dimensional Vortices’ leans a lot more towards straightforward black metal, with the keys taking a slightly less prominent role. Instead, they’re replaced by greater use of furious guitar and those frostbitten growls.

It’s evident already that Solstice Pyre want to make their music more expansive and on ‘The Burning Citadel’ they go further in that direction. It’s nearly seven minutes in length and because of that it shows off a more mid-tempo sound, and approach from the band. The symphonic additions are still present but as before, they’re used as a way to compliment the extremity that’s present.

After that barrage of intensity, the short instrumental piece ‘Requiem For The Fallen’ offers up only light relief before ‘On The Edge Of The Void’ provides one final blast of outstanding Indonesian black metal. It really is that good! I knew beforehand that Indonesia was nailing the death metal/grind sound but didn’t have it down as a country that embraced black metal as well performed as this. 

This final song exhibits why no country (however small) should be Ignored when it comes to extreme metal, especially black metal. I appreciate that it’s taken UK label Death Prayer Records to bring Solstice Pyre to my attention, but hopefully it also brings them to the attention of many other metal fans too.

You can stream and purchase The Sighting Of Ethereal Dimension on digital or sumptuous purple/gold flake vinyl formats below:-

Copies can also be purchased from Death Prayer Records here - https://deathprayerrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sighting-of-ethereal-dimension

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/deathprayerrecords

Revenant Marquis - All The Pleasures Of Heaven

Labels: Death Prayer Records

Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital

Release Date: 06 Oct 2023

Tracklist:

1. Linnet Through The Marshes

2. All The Pleasures Of Heaven

3. Ankles Cadaverous

4. Black Metal

5. Luck & Evil

6. To The People Of This Hamlet

7. Bliss

This evening marks a special occasion. It marks the release of the final album by revered Welsh black metal band Revenant Marquis, All The Pleasures Of Heaven, which is being released via a special listening party courtesy of Bandcamp. Bandcamp continues to innovate with band/fan engagement and this new feature promises to be an exciting one. On a side note; I hope Bandcamp's employees will be treated with the respect they deserve given the decision by Epic Games to sell off a chunk to music licensing company Songtradr. Bandcamp as an artist-centric platform deserves better.

Anyway, let's get back to tonight's focus, that of the Pembrokeshire Black Circles's Revenant Marquis. Beginning with the Pitiless Black Emphasis in 2018, S has released a very expansive body of work leading up to this final album, including seven previous full-length albums, 3 splits, 1 EP and a compilation. Five years worth of music to consume then, which somewhat spoils us.

It feels special to be able to join this listening party and the anticipation is quite overwhelming to be honest. Thankfully I have a nice glass of red wine as my companion this evening. Hearing the rawness of Revenant Marquis for the last time is ssd and even with my slightly late entry to the listening party (my fault entirely), album opener ‘Linnet Through The Marshes’ sounds fantastic with it’s percussive intensity, organic guitar melodies and vocals that are buried deeper within the overall mix. Being able to read the interaction between listeners and RM during the listening party is a great insight into what has made this particular black metal entity so engrossing over the years.. Title track ‘All The Pleasures Of Heaven’ gathers together a lot of metallic guitar tones, which are subtle but give the song body.

It seems that listening via this medium makes the songs go by so much faster and as ‘Ankles Cadaverous’ gains full flight, so does RM. A masterful take on black metal delivered by both S. and O. Of Obskuritatem, who covers bass and drum duties here. It feels right that RM weaves a song into the album simply called ‘Black Metal’. While this may not be the last we hear from S., it certainly satisfies the hunger of those who have grown with this band. 

After the expansive ‘Black Metal’, ‘Luck & Evil’ takes on a much more urgent form right from the off. Admittedly, it does have it’s slower moments but it’s structure is such that it flows through different movements with ease. Structure is more important in modern day black metal and it’s much more evident in RM’s music here. Hearing the faster tempo of ’To The People Of This Hamlet’ reminds you of black metal’s raw history and punk leanings, but here S. and O. make it sound so effortless yet harrowing at the same time. Album closer ‘Bliss’ is both aptly named but also accurately so. It’s an instrumental song but with haunting choral vocals that bring everything to a close.

A truly special evening spent listening to a band that’s produced some of the best black metal the UK has had to offer in recent years. Whatever road S. takes moving forward, Revenant Marquis will always be held in very high regard.

You can stream All The Pleasures Of Heaven and purchase it on digital and vinyl formats below:-

Death Prayer Records - https://www.facebook.com/deathprayerrecords