Black Esoteric Evangelium

I came across this release one day when looking for something new and interesting to listen to, and I can say that I am quite glad that I decided to check this EP out. Noenum is a two man project from Finland that play black metal in the vein of early Burzum. That having been said, do not expect their music to be yet another mindless Burzum clone - they are able to capture an engrossing atmosphere that other such bands fail to achieve.

The guitar work on this EP is one of the highlights. The riffs are quite melancholic, and at times, almost depressing, almost reminiscent of the style employed by other bands like Aaskereia. The tracks Castle of Melancholic Sorrows and No More Nails in this Coffin are good examples of this. The guitars on each track express an aura of mysticism and sorrow. The riffs do not change much throughout the songs, but there is enough variation to keep things from becoming monotonous.

Unlike many underground black metal releases, the drums on this EP are not buried beneath the guitars and vocals. They are clear and audible for the most part, and accent the moods created by the music.

The vocals are possibly my favourite aspect of Noenum's work. The screeching howl used primarily does much to accompany the bleak ambience and despondency. The vocals sound like a rawer version of Forgotten Tomb's Herr Morbid. Near the end of the first track, the vocals change to become very low and distorted for a short instance. This style gives more of a mournful tone to the atmosphere, and it would have been nice if it had been used throughout the EP more often.

With such bands as Wyrd, Horna, Sargeist and Behexen, Finland's black metal scene is filled with quality black metal acts. Noenum lives up to the high standard set by their fellow countrymen. Hopefuly we'll be seeing more released by this band in the future. This EP is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of bleak, melancholic black metal.

Highlight tracks: Castle of Melancholic Sorrows, No More Nails in this Coffin