Band: Lhaäd
Album: Beneath
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Country: Belgium
Label: Amor Fati Productions/Independent
Released: March 20th 2024
Introduction
Lhaäd is a Belgian black metal solo project by artist Lykormas that focuses more on the melodic, and expansive aspects of the genre. Wailing, titanic themes blanket the short discography of Lhaäd, yet you will hear ambient synths, a lot of deep ocean sfx, and generally well-thought-out audio production that extends a little further from something like raw black metal. There’s more of a structured stance here, but never pulling punches in its chaos and sheer power that saturates each song. His first album Below is similar in many ways, and worth checking out if, by the third song now, you’re interested. I think one of the most significant differences in these two albums would be the immense pressure and feeling of being alone that is a recurring theme yet… Here there’s another element, a far more sinister feeling of dread floods the latter half.
A look Beneath the surface
Tracklist:
- Beneath I
- Beneath II
- Beneath III
- Beneath IV
- Beneath V
- Beneath VI
1. Diving into Lhaäd’s latest album Beneath with the first track immersing listeners in an underwater soundscape, with ambient noises and a murky atmosphere. By the 50-second mark, the song shifts into overdrive, delivering an intense, raw energy amplified by powerful, blistering drumming that grips the listener. By 1:50, it evolves into an irresistibly groovy sound that’s hard not to head bang, too. Beneath I features a haunting ambiance, with Lykormas (the project’s only member) enhancing it with reverb chanting and harsh vocals for an aggressive, soul-stirring effect. The vocals standing out here echo the raw power of 1349’s Olav Bergene (Ravn), amplifying the track’s brutality. From this point, the song conveys unfiltered hatred, upholding its ferocity without calm or serenity until it suddenly ends.
2. Beneath II begins with a grim droning reminiscent of Emperor or Immortal. I can see this appealing to fans of the old-school second wave. At 1:10, it surprised me with a captivating melody. The song then progresses with more intriguing verses and even more interesting phrases I least expected. Featuring many insane riffs and the occasional trance-inducing moments with odd time signatures and dissonant, extended chords. This is truly one of the most black metal songs I’ve heard in a long while.
3. The next part, III, presents a turbulent body of water, thrashing violently before sinking below. It smoothly transitions from the end of II, setting a perfect shift for the calm beginning here. Suddenly, like a rogue wave, blast beats crash into the composition, introducing a shift in intensity.
Unsettling, melodic, eerie, and mystifying. By the midway point, the song grows into a structured, melodic experience with well-thought-out rhythmic progressions. It drones on until the end with menacing vocals, almost chant-like. This song might have my favorite outro.
4. Ruthless in its aggression, this song is consistently brooding, heavy, and melancholic, at times even terrifying. Lykormas’s use of recurring progressions creates sinister, incantation passages, and depraved aura. I love these simple riffs that are easy to fall back on. Utilizing more routine with the rhythm sections and choosing strong extended chords or elevating phrases moving into other parts to give a good crescendo for the aforementioned parts of the song. With this being the shortest of the album to me, it felt like the perfect transition into the 5th track.
5. If it wasn’t haunting enough now it is. There’s a level of tension being built from song to song, and here is where I think the energy went. Flooding the first half with lightning fast blast beats and orchestral swells continuing on for minutes at times, pulverizing all ears. The song breaks down halfway with an eerie, whispered passage; unintelligible to me due to a language barrier but foreboding nonetheless.
More than a minute passes before again being hammered with relentless drum phrases, rushing towards a violent, immediate end.
6. The 6th and final song starts with a lingering intro of the same three chords. Sticking with you for a moment, chanting as if to beckon some great evil below. Hefty, marching grooves begin to envelope after. Packed to the gills with catchy, melodic guitar grooves. This song is a bit slower starting but not to be underestimated; it gives us fragments more than we’ve heard through the rest of this album thus far, and were it not for the previous song, I would say this is my favorite.
Conclusion:
Lhaäd’s Beneath feels like an anchor, pulling you to the murky depths of a raging, blackened sea. I think the album masterfully blends the more sinister, haunting ambiance of melodic black metal, and the relentless aggression of raw black metal. Fostering an unforgettable experience that will linger long after the music fades, and the tides roll back to fathomless dark.
BMZ Rating: 8,5 out of 10
Support Laähd here: https://thenoxentity.bandcamp.com/album/lha-d-beneath
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