Wolfgate - Howling Lament

While most people normally don’t associate L.A. with extreme, atmospheric black metal, here is a band that could help to broaden perceptions, so to speak. The Los Angeles black metallers Wolfgate formed in 2005 when its founding members grew fed up with channeling their effort into other bands and decided to create an entity they could develop as they chose. Available via download and on MySpace, Howling Lament is a darkened carnival of haunting rhythms and subtle nuances of near-Emperor like proportions, and this is a carnival you won’t want to depart from anytime soon when you discover the mysteries waiting to be experienced inside. In some ways this demo is like the haunted attraction in the amusement park in the classic Twilight Zone episode Perchance To Dream in which everything is warped and nightmarishly fascinating. To watch the ethereal visions unfold before you with Maya The Cat Girl as your guide (if you’ve seen the episode, you’ll know what I’m talking about) makes you want to see everything, and perhaps take that leap of faith in darkness to remain within the otherworldly realm created by the band. The more time you spend there, the more subtle elements you will find lurking under the surface you might have missed previously such as influence in classical, orchestral and gothic music.