Persecution

I don’t think it can be denied that metal is much darker than it was ten or twenty years ago. Whether it’s the abrasive dissonance of modern black metal, the swelling density of doom metal, or the nihilistic chaos of blackened grindcore and war metal, at the extreme edge of extreme metal, there is no colour to be had. But darker doesn’t always mean better. The lofty concepts and undeniably rich atmospheres many of these albums conjure often falls short in the musical department. It’s easy to see why after all. If you have a fat mix, a monstrous guitar tone, and plenty of noise to layer on top, why bother writing riffs?

For that reason, I cannot help but think that France’s Autokrator are how many bands in this field want to sound but are never quite able to pull off. Their latest all too brief outing ‘Persecution’ is every bit as violent as blackened grindcore, as twisted as modern death metal gets, with plenty of feedback drenched doom breakdowns and industrial noise colourings scattered throughout. But the familiar feeling of zoning out to this aesthetic as the lack of substance beneath makes itself known quickly melts away as we come to realise that Autokrator have (whisper it) written some “riffs”. Good riffs too, and there’s more than one per track.

Ok, sarcastic shitmunching aside, ‘Persecution’ raises the game for that darker brand of modern extreme metal fixated on violence and engulfing sonic tapestries. The production on here speaks to that. Despite the meaty guitar tone, the mechanically precise drums, the guttural vocals, and the static noise lurking neath all this, the mix feels somewhat distant. The impact is once removed, as if we’re listening to the sounds of warfare a few valleys away. Echoes and siren like guitar leads seer across the machinegun of blast-beats and simple yet effective tremolo picked riffs.

Whilst this form of cavernous presentation is somewhat commonplace in this day and age, it becomes more engaging as we – the listener – peel away the layers of sound and begin to focus on the music beneath. Autokrator deploy an interesting marriage of drab doom riffing that is slammed up against those industrial grindcore segments, all informed by the more sophisticated melodic philosophies of death metal.

This is a tightly honed set of arrangements; one made all the more interesting given the marked industrial aesthetic that has been applied throughout the album. Interesting because the album’s subject matter focuses on the persecution of early Christians in the Roman Empire, a marriage of old and new ideas made plain on the track ‘Ceasar Nerva Traianus’, where theatrical keyboards and sound effects are worked into this decidedly contemporary extreme metal.

This album once again demonstrates that it’s often not the genre that is limiting but the minds working within it. Autokrator match their contemporaries for sheer blunt impact and overwhelmingly dark atmospheres. But it’s not the heaviness the counts, it’s what you do with. And on ‘Persecution’ we are given plenty of riff developments, interesting marriages of guitar noise and minimal progressions, and intricate sound tapestries to get lost in. All making for a far more rewarding listen than many albums currently being offered in a similar vein.

Originally published at Hate Meditations

Krucyator Productions have already put out one of the strongest death metal albums of 2021 in the form of the newest one from heavyweights Drawn & Quartered. If you have not yet checked out “Congregation Pestilence” you should immediately do so and get ready for a some intense music. And when you are at it I highly recommend to add the new Autokrator record to your order. In case you are not familiar with this act you should know that this is the label’s boss Loic own band where he is doing songwriting as well as playing guitar and bass with singer David Bailey and a session drummer (in this case Kévin Paradis from well-known acts like Benighted or Mithridatic) supporting. Loic is also responsible for the mixing and when you know his work for the mentioned D&Q album you know that you can expect some crushing and heavy-hitting music from the fourth full length “Persecution”.

After having listened to it for the first time I went back and gave their older stuff another listen to get a clearer picture of the development. Autokrator started on their self-titled album with a style I would probably classify as a mixture of classic death metal with what is known as war metal these days. They have implemented other influences like black metal and drone further down the line. Their newest output sees them going for a more straight-forward death metal sound with stoic guitar chords and pummeling drums all the way through. A slow yet powerful riff opens the first track “De Gloria Martyrum Et Confessorum” and before you know it, growls and punishing drums follow proper. The pace picks up a tad near the middle while the vocals make you feel as if you are being held captive in a dark chamber.

While coming across a bit monotonous at times Loic has a fantastic feeling for when to break the mold and add a sick flair to this very pounding subgenre of metal. It goes to show that Autokrator aren't just mindlessly riffing. They've got some chops and a hand for writing interesting songs and they aren't afraid to show off. During the whole album Loic and his comrades bring some Incantation worship with truly meaty fills and tremolo picked guitars, adding a sense of urgency that force you to bang your head as far as you have a soft spot for cavernous and sinister death metal. There is a certain kind of subtlety and a really creepy atmosphere that sets Autokrator aside from their competition.

Powerful tremolo lines can break as easily into haunting leads as into power chords, and power chords are as likely to be the backdrop to a melody as they are to be a primitive attack on the senses. At times Autokrator rely on repetition to build atmosphere, and are happy to build on a motif while also changing riffs through the course of a song to keep everything flowing and the listener engaged. Though each of the three gentlemen involved is a true talent and professional, showing off their musicianship is clearly not the main goal Loic wants to achieve with his music.

To top everything off you get one of the most putrid and powerful productions you have heard all year. The rumbling bass compliments the massive guitar sound on the album and locks tight with the punchy drums, and the rhythm section is compact enough to hold everything together whenever a lead melody rises above the mix to provide a touch more gloom and a macabre melody, or to carry songs alongside the putrid low growls of David. “Persecution” is another winner from the Krucyator camp and while this label might not get as much recognition as some others within the scene (maybe because they only release a few albums each year) the clearly deserve to be held in high regard.