ARYOS / REGNANT AND THRALL split MCD 2008 review

ARYOS (Fr) / REGNANT AND THRALL (Fr) – A celebration to Lilith Von Sirius
Split MCD 2008 – DUKE / Exh Goëtie
3 tracks – 24'12
Rated: 4/10 – 5/10
I am not very familiar with ARYOS’ works but the few things I have heard never catch my interest because as you probably noticed I am not too much into black metal and assimilated, so my investigation in there is limited. ARYOS is still into their particular atmospheric occult black metal. This time the sound is better than what I have heard before, less fuzzy concerning the guitars, that’s a good point. But before talking about their tracks, I forget the atmospheric opening track played with keyboards, female vocals, screamed black metal vocals and spoken male vocals. Don’t ask me about any comparison because I have nothing in mind that sounds close to this, maybe CRADLE OF FILTH in their early days (but I think I am making enemies actually so I stop here!). It’s a kind of dark occult gothic moody piece ideal for your blood drinking ceremonies. Then their track is some symphonic black metal alternating fast parts and slow ones with omnipresent keyboards. Well, they probably enjoy the beginning of EMPEROR thus ARYOS tries to recreate the same frozen atmosphere.
REGNANT AND THRALL is rooted in the European black metal, very classical and old school but well played. R&T has a heavy metal and melodic touch reminding DISSECTION, MORTUARY DRAPE and VARATHRON although R&T has a long hypnotic (endless?) track so they are not as captivating as the bands mentioned.
The marks only reflect my objective feeling about the music of those bands, so don’t take them for references as this is not my cup of blood.
Contact: EXH GOETIE c/o David LAFAYE – 7 chemin de la Saudrière – 69380 LISSIEU – FRANCE goetiedistro@aol.com