Metal Underground.com

A late 2012 release, Switzerland’s Blutmond takes the year out with an avant-garde bang, slicing apart genre after genre and surgically sewing them back together in new and freakishly entertaining ways. The combination of everything metal (and even plenty that’s not) definitely won’t work for all fans of heavy music, but the experimental crowd is going to dig this one, along with anybody who likes music rooted in black metal that doesn’t stick closely to the overdone stylistic standards.

Right off the bat, the cover art really showcases that listeners shouldn’t be expecting any of the traditional metal tropes here. Yes, it’s technically black metal, but definitely not of the spikes-and-corpse-paint variety, and the tracks frequently ditch the black metal shrieks entirely. Songs like “Birds of Prey” have them, while “Stop the Rain, Nezuit Jesus” doesn’t even bother. “The Revolution is Dead!” is a very eclectic album on the vocal front, using clean singing, harsh shouts, extreme screams, and more. Tracks like “Putting Hearts Together” even use powerful female vocals that are probably best described as, “Lacuna Coil meets The Sound of Thunder.”

The wild ride that makes up these twelve tracks don’t rely solely on Blutmond’s experimental leanings alone, as the album also includes guest spots from members of Eluveitie, Varg, and Autumnblaze. The varying musical styles include such non-traditional elements as swirling, smooth sax (bringing to mind newer Ihsahn releases), touches of goth, and some gut-wrenching shouts that offer an emotional resonance. The album is incredibly active, always on the move and full of energy, even when hitting the downer notes.

The mix is a bit mucked up in parts, which is just part and parcel to underground extreme metal bands, but the interesting song compositions and vocals make up for it. If you like the more avant-garde bands that black metal has to offer – like Oblomov or Sigh – but wouldn’t mind the music to be a bit less weird while still being experimental, this is unquestionably the album for you.