Antikosmos

A well-respected if little-heard entity, Arckanum made a name for themselves in the 1990's, their notoriety due in part to the bizarre masked appearance of singer and sole member Shamaatae. Known for shambling, lo-fidelity demos, Antikosmos presents a departure from their crackly, historic sound. Although fully-realized, Antikosmos doesn't reveal its superb nature on first listen. Several sessions are required before its poison truly adheres to your skin. For the patient listener, Arckanum presents a finely-constructed slab of Black Metal performed in the traditional Northern style. Untouched by current trends, Antikosmos swarms with ragged, trebly guitar, supported by the Shamaatae's hoarse croaking. This is an album devoid of gimmicks. Even the headscratching ambient track "Blota Loka" doesn't shake the solid architecture that surrounds it. In a marketplace flooded with third-rate Darkthrone clones, Arckanum presents an introspective, memorable album directly linked to the principles that spawned the genre.

(originally written for Salt Lake Under Ground, slugmag.com)