As told in many releases, the one-man band format is used by musicians that want to express their particular ideas without the interference of other musicians. Sometimes it works in a very good form, on other times aren’t worthy of the effort of listening, but on every band on such form, the same idea: a personal insight guides everything. And on the Dutch band THE BLACK MYSTERIES’ work shown on “…And the Opening of Shadowy Sepulchre that Yawns Behind It”, the Black Metal fans will have a hard time.
The musical work shown on the album isn’t a conventional form of Black Metal as stated during the rise of the Second Wave. The work of Mories (the mastermind behind the band, and it’s only member) is based on an experimental and symphonic form that isn’t usual, because it’s based on the keyboards and bass guitar than on the guitars (that seems to be absent on the album, or they’re extremely low on the mix). And the result is an expressive form of music that is darkened and funereal in many moments, almost theatrical in some moments. It’s hard to be swallowed, but it’s good. The sonority is the Achilles’ heel of the album: it’s not as good as the band’s music deserves, and can become fuzzy in many moments. Obviously, Black Metal doesn’t have to be clean and defined, but such a sound quality isn’t fitting on the very good musical ideas that the band has.
Musically, there are very good moments expressed on “The Robe I Made from Stars” (fine contrasts between vocals and keyboards), “I Journed Through the Pale Light” (a somber song with a dose of aggressiveness expressed by bass guitar parts), “All Ancient Hexes”, “The Ritual Demystification” and “Eloah Va-Daath Adonai Tzabaoth” (here, in some moments, some guitars seems to appear, or are the bass guitar high tunes), but the ideas can mature a bit more. It’s not bad, but could be amazing in a better worked form.
For now, “…And the Opening of Shadowy Sepulchre that Yawns Behind It” sounds as a good release that could be better, but THE BLACK MYSTERIES is really a promising name.
1. Ur of the Chaldeans 2. The Robe I Made from Stars 3. I Journed Through the Pale Light 4. All Ancient Hexes 5. The Ritual Demystification 6. Eloah Va-Daath Adonai Tzabaoth
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