Circle of Leth

When you think about black metal, one thing you don't think would ever work is a mix of raw black metal and symphonic black metal. I mean, symphonic black metal is about having high production and a grand atmosphere full of choirs and orchestras, whereas raw black metal is suppose to be minimalistic, DIY-like in production, and sounding like it was recorded with a Fisher Price recorder in some dark, unknown cave in Norway. How would a blend of those two work? Well, in 1994, the Norwegian black metal band Dies Irae (who were also in Cruciamentum) decided to try that mix out in their first and only demo "Circle of Leth". And while it's generally pretty good, let's just say that they could've use some improvement in some areas...

Starting off with the instrumentals, one thing to note is that this demo is heavy when it comes to the symphonic and ambient pieces. An old, yet melodic synth plays in the foreground of the tracks and usually plays some calm and soothing tunes that are occasionally aggressive, but not too much. This is especially apparent in the first track "Allegro" (I'm not spelling out the full name of the tracks because they're ridiculously long). Not only do we get some icy and angelic synths, but we also hear some ritual drumming and a flute in the second half of the track. Seeing how the band was influenced by classical music, I can definitely see the influence on the ambient pieces.

But then we move to the metal parts, which make their debut on the second track "Attacca: Cantus con Affizione". The guitars are very raw in sound, and it's hard to differentiate certain parts in the riffs unless you listen very closely. The drums are also monotonous in sound, and follow the typical blastbeats formula, though it occasionally tries some different beat patterns. And in the mist of the chaotic riffs and blastbeats, the synths are in the front playing its slightly more aggravated tunes. I actually find this mix of raw black metal riffs and symphonic synths well-composed, as it creates a mixed atmosphere of harsh coldness and god-like landscapes. The second track here is great for that, but I also like the tracks "Molto Presto Forza" and "Finale Tranquillamente: Cantus pro Defunctis", the latter being an amazing dark ambient piece filled with the creepiness of a ringing bell and echoes in the middle of it trying to save you from a doom. Whether it be the raw black metal instruments or the symphonic synths, both of these parts sound fantastic on their own, and they work well when mixed together.

So what about the vocals? Well, Johnny Willems did the vocals on this one, and his vocal delivery was pretty underwhelming. With the instruments I've described to you, you'd think he'd go for some sick high-pitched shrieks that are filled with nothing but hate. However, we end up getting the opposite. His vocals do use chants, but the way he shouts them makes it sound more like a talk-shout then a powerful chant, and that's not a good flow to use here. The fourth track "Lento Passione" especially makes this apparent, since the overall atmosphere is tragic and powerful, and with these weakened chants, plus some mediocre speech talk in the middle of the track, the overall power in the track is weakened a bit and makes Johnny's declarations less serious. I'm not saying he needed to sound like an absolute madman, but I would've appreciated some more harsh vocals.

But even though the vocals were a huge disappointment, the instrumentals make up for it. The ambient pieces here sound great, and I love the raw black metal instruments on here as well. The band would disband shortly after the release of this demo, and there hasn't been much from them besides a vinyl repress for this demo as well as with Cruciamentum's "Luctus Infinite". But if you're into a mix of symphonic ambient pieces and raw black metal, then I recommend you check this demo out, since you can listen to the entire thing on YouTube.