Gorgon - The Veil Of Darkness
Black metal’s main core still is, in my very modest opinion, the ATMOSPHERE the musicians are able to project into the one listening. It is not hollow in terms of substance and it leaves a mark in every single person that touches it and is touched. It will never be an easy genre to listen to, and with that idea in mind, I can almost accept when the most conservative fans shout and point their fingers to those that “are not worthy” of using black metal as a vessel to express their message.
But, as I have said more than once: black metal will always find a way to renew itself and rise up, again and again, to generate yet another bastard ghoul and, by doing this, will be paving the way for more and more creations to come forth and blow us away in awe.
But, we still have bands that take the pillars of the genre very seriously and prefer to honour the roots of the genre, and I am able to appreciate both perspectives, both creations. Gorgon is one of those entities. Of French nationality, Christophe Chatelet has been printing his mark on the French black metal scene since 1991. “The Lady Rides A Black Horse”, his 1995 release sets him off in terms of popularity – oh, the pain, black metal and popularity in the same sentence – and, until this day this release is seen and one of the more significant to ever come out of French lands. Very much different from the biggest black metal export – people will hate me for this, but please bare in mind that I am a big fan of the LLN – that France has ever crafted, Gorgon carries, high and proud, the banner of black metal.
To some, Gorgon might sound sort of outdated, for example. I understand: their/his sound brings nothing new to ever growing black metal scene, but how many of you – and this is aimed at those that, like me, lived through the 90s – don’t put a smile on your faces when one of those classic black metal songs from the 90s comes up, on the stereo, when in the pub, for instance? One of those bands kids these days disdain and see as useless melodic keyboard driven bad example of black metal? Pfff, I still get my kicks with the old Cradle Of Filth records – oooh, the so untrve comment!
Gorgon still lives in the 90s, a place and time where everything was much Simple and creativity still had a place in this musician's mind. Ferocious and Melodic are the two adjectives that, in my opinion, better paint this new offering. It has that classic Heavy Thrash Metal riff that clashes with the black metal and both create this very catchy and full of quality, release. I was very surprised that he could, so many years later, release something like this! The vocals are very good... Have always been a sucker for black metal that is still enrooted in 90s.
The new Gorgon record, “The Veil Of Darkness”, the first in 19 years, is one of those records that will put a smile on a high number of old school black metal fans that lived the 90s at its fullest. In my opinion, again, it has all the hooks that one was expecting from a musician that was part of a scene when black metal was at the peak of its shape, plain and simple. The galloping guitars, the groovy – but never losing its ferocious aggressiveness, obviously – drumming, do take you back to a time when originality flourished and every band wanted to be different from the rest of the flock. It has been in almost constant play on my stereo and my mobile phone – it soothes me in all the bus and metro rides in the city of Lisbon – songs flow so easily that, without barely noticing, the end has come! Achtung: do not be misled, for this is an excellent release that one must not overlook!
Gorgon’s album brings nothing of new to today’s black metal overly packed scene. Gorgon’s album does not want to – and do correct me if I am mistaken – be seen as the game changer, but show that sounds of old are still strong enough to “face battle” against new generations of black metal artists! It has been a pleasure each and every time the album starts and this old school groove explodes and the overall melodies take over you and yes, it grabs you by the throat and throws you around the room!
A very special guest on the track 'Posthumous Bewitchment', Raffaella Rivarolo, known as Cadaveria, from Opera IX and Cadaveria., gives the track a special twist! From a voice like that, what else could we expect?
And again, with a very soothing ease, the album has ended. It will spin again in the future, as it is, as said before, a very easy to digest collection of tracks, without losing its ability to surprise those that were not aware of Mr. Christophe Chatelet´s aptitudes as a black metal creator, and calm those to whom Gorgon was not just a lost name in black metal history.
Do not lose the opportunity to give Gorgon’s new release a listen for you will not be disappointed.
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But, as I have said more than once: black metal will always find a way to renew itself and rise up, again and again, to generate yet another bastard ghoul and, by doing this, will be paving the way for more and more creations to come forth and blow us away in awe.
But, we still have bands that take the pillars of the genre very seriously and prefer to honour the roots of the genre, and I am able to appreciate both perspectives, both creations. Gorgon is one of those entities. Of French nationality, Christophe Chatelet has been printing his mark on the French black metal scene since 1991. “The Lady Rides A Black Horse”, his 1995 release sets him off in terms of popularity – oh, the pain, black metal and popularity in the same sentence – and, until this day this release is seen and one of the more significant to ever come out of French lands. Very much different from the biggest black metal export – people will hate me for this, but please bare in mind that I am a big fan of the LLN – that France has ever crafted, Gorgon carries, high and proud, the banner of black metal.
To some, Gorgon might sound sort of outdated, for example. I understand: their/his sound brings nothing new to ever growing black metal scene, but how many of you – and this is aimed at those that, like me, lived through the 90s – don’t put a smile on your faces when one of those classic black metal songs from the 90s comes up, on the stereo, when in the pub, for instance? One of those bands kids these days disdain and see as useless melodic keyboard driven bad example of black metal? Pfff, I still get my kicks with the old Cradle Of Filth records – oooh, the so untrve comment!
Gorgon still lives in the 90s, a place and time where everything was much Simple and creativity still had a place in this musician's mind. Ferocious and Melodic are the two adjectives that, in my opinion, better paint this new offering. It has that classic Heavy Thrash Metal riff that clashes with the black metal and both create this very catchy and full of quality, release. I was very surprised that he could, so many years later, release something like this! The vocals are very good... Have always been a sucker for black metal that is still enrooted in 90s.
The new Gorgon record, “The Veil Of Darkness”, the first in 19 years, is one of those records that will put a smile on a high number of old school black metal fans that lived the 90s at its fullest. In my opinion, again, it has all the hooks that one was expecting from a musician that was part of a scene when black metal was at the peak of its shape, plain and simple. The galloping guitars, the groovy – but never losing its ferocious aggressiveness, obviously – drumming, do take you back to a time when originality flourished and every band wanted to be different from the rest of the flock. It has been in almost constant play on my stereo and my mobile phone – it soothes me in all the bus and metro rides in the city of Lisbon – songs flow so easily that, without barely noticing, the end has come! Achtung: do not be misled, for this is an excellent release that one must not overlook!
Gorgon’s album brings nothing of new to today’s black metal overly packed scene. Gorgon’s album does not want to – and do correct me if I am mistaken – be seen as the game changer, but show that sounds of old are still strong enough to “face battle” against new generations of black metal artists! It has been a pleasure each and every time the album starts and this old school groove explodes and the overall melodies take over you and yes, it grabs you by the throat and throws you around the room!
A very special guest on the track 'Posthumous Bewitchment', Raffaella Rivarolo, known as Cadaveria, from Opera IX and Cadaveria., gives the track a special twist! From a voice like that, what else could we expect?
And again, with a very soothing ease, the album has ended. It will spin again in the future, as it is, as said before, a very easy to digest collection of tracks, without losing its ability to surprise those that were not aware of Mr. Christophe Chatelet´s aptitudes as a black metal creator, and calm those to whom Gorgon was not just a lost name in black metal history.
Do not lose the opportunity to give Gorgon’s new release a listen for you will not be disappointed.
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1. Son Of Perdition
2. Still Six Six Six
3. This Is War
4. The Veil Of Darkness
5. Border Of The Forest
6. Path Of Doom
7. The Roots Of My Fantasies
8. Burned For Him
9. Depraved Conception
10. Posthumous Bewitchment
11. Our Crusade
2. Still Six Six Six
3. This Is War
4. The Veil Of Darkness
5. Border Of The Forest
6. Path Of Doom
7. The Roots Of My Fantasies
8. Burned For Him
9. Depraved Conception
10. Posthumous Bewitchment
11. Our Crusade
Reviewer: Daniel Pinheiro
Mar 31, 2019
Mar 31, 2019
Next review:
Feed Them Death – No Solution/Dissolution
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