Aspen Sanctum from Michigan present their debut «To Withhold the Need to Conquer» — thirty-seven minutes of rich, atmospheric post-black metal that they manage to make sound like a band that has existed for years. The cover, an autumn forest, matches the music perfectly.
Country: USA (Michigan)
Genre: Folk black metal / Post-black metal
For fans of: Alcest, Deafheaven, Møl, Moonsorrow
Their sound is more “blackened” than the sound of Alcest and more post-metal than Panopticon: guitars with depth, clean production — unusual for a black metal record, since most bands bury the instruments under layers of noise — and atmospheres built with patience. The band does not rush to the climax, and that is why when it comes, it works.
The vocals of Jared Koons are harsh, without clean passages to break the flow, and the drums of Tim Wicklund hold the intensity without becoming pompous. The record received 7.5/10 in the Progressive Subway review, which focused especially on the maturity of the debut: it is rare for a new band to have such a clear identity from the first record.
For those who love the melancholy of autumn in albums, «To Withhold the Need to Conquer» is one of the surprises of the year. It was released on August 7 through Fiadh Productions.
See also: Cairiss – Wilderness, Harboured – We’re Only the Love that We Lead or the complete guide to the sub-genres of Metal.
