Arkona – Lunaris – Album Review

Artist: Arkona

Album Title: Lunaris

Label: Debemur Morti Productions

Date Of Release: 4 November 2016

The focus of this review is the Polish black metal band Arkona. They are not to be confused with any other Arkona, of which there are many it seems, particularly from Russia. Anyway, I simply had to review this record for two main reasons. Firstly, the music by this is actually really rather good. Secondly, I could not waste the opportunity of poking fun at the ludicrous press that accompanied this promo. Are you ready?

‘”Lunaris” is a palimpsest of haunted modernity with an underlying raw howl straight from primitive lifeblood”

Say what now? And if you thought that was bad, the very next sentence reads:

“With this emphatic new record, Arkona trigger a free-fall deep into the metaphysical dream logic of the genre.”

Come again?

I’m all for flowery language and the occasional descent into hyperbole but this is utterly ridiculous. A press release needs to be grounded in some semblance of reality but more importantly, it needs to make sense and be understandable. This is neither and, to be honest, reading it just makes me laugh, albeit with a hint of incredulity and despair. I mean, come on people, Arkona are a black metal band, not some aural gateway into life’s thesaurus for the overly verbose. Oh hell, they’ve got me at it now…

Mocking aside, the press release does get it a little more accurate elsewhere, albeit rather pompously, when it declares:

“Consolidating and updating the earthen grandiosity perfected on classic 1996 debut ‘Imperium’, Arkona have created the perfect synthesis of forward-reaching Pagan Black Metal, dark neo-classical melodicism, corrupted romanticism and raging existential power.”

I can reluctantly agree with the majority of this. Ok, so I know nothing of the band’s back catalogue and Akona’s sixth album ‘Lunaris’ is not ‘perfect’. But importantly, it does provide the kind of black metal that I like, namely heavy, powerful, melodic and symphonic. In many ways it reminds me of the early output of Dissection thanks to the fast and abrasive tremolo-style riffing, relentless rhythm section and burst of grand melody. Given that ‘Storm Of The Light’s Bane’ is a top 20 of all-time record for me, I’m giving Arkona a fair compliment here.

‘Nie Dia Mnie Litość’ is a case in point; the drum rolls and fills are very reminiscent of Dissection, as is the galloping tempo and the riffs that dominate the first half of the song before it descends into something much quieter and eerie, complete with hammer-horror organ. It’s a cracking song if I’m honest.

As I mentioned earlier, ‘Lunaris’ isn’t perfect and it definitely doesn’t reinvent any wheels. The influences are worn on the sleeves of the quartet which, as far as I can tell, is a very new incarnation, with three members joining the band within the last two years. Joining founder Khorzon (guitars, keyboards) are guitarist Nechrist, drummer Zaala and vocalist/bassist Drac.

The production is typical of the days of black metal yore, namely raw and slightly treble-heavy meaning that the bass is rendered almost redundant for the most part. However, what it does do is provide the listener with some very high quality music, the kind that I had almost forgotten that I loved. On close inspection, there really isn’t a weak track amongst the six that comprise this album and it brings a rather bleak but satisfied smile to my face as I listen.

The album begins in ominous fashion with synths casting a dark shadow and a fetid atmosphere in true 90s black metal fashion before relentless drumming and fast-picked riffs come from nowhere to bludgeon the listener into an early submission. Conventional raspy and unintelligible screams join the fray before the tempo reduces slightly and a bouncier riff takes centre stage. And in classic symphonic black metal style, the mood changes appreciably at the half-way mark as a wonderfully groovy and catchy melody kicks in. ‘This is marvellous’, I mutter to myself and that’s before the heaviness departs momentarily to allow the synths to carry a super film score-like melody alongside choral effects that add an undeniably epic quality.

‘Ziemia’ is more of a mid-tempo stomper of a track but with the ability to accelerate up to warp speed when required. There’s less emphasis on overt melodies but Arkona are still able to make the song both dark and accessible, a neat trick that they pull off cleverly.

The unpronounceable ‘Śmierć I Odrodzenie’ follows and is quite possibly my favourite track on the album. The true definition of epic, the layers of keyboards come to the fore to underpin the incessant battery of the rhythm section and those cold, jagged riffs. The moment of ambient, synth-led calm is both grand and superbly atmospheric, a welcome counterpoint to the bruising extreme metal that surrounds it. Again, tempo changes are prominent, allowing for more accessible melody to come to the fore when the speed is reined in.

It is down to the title track to carry ‘Lunaris’ over the finish line and, in keeping with the preceding 40 or so minutes, it doesn’t let us down. It starts off in frenetic fashion as is the Arkona way but blossoms into an epic anthem that finally gives way to a few moments of stunning ambient beauty and simplicity.

This might not be everyone’s cup of tea but with ‘Lunaris’, Arkona scratch a real itch with me. I adore this kind of extreme metal that’s heavy and uncompromising one minute and gloriously melodic the next and where the symphonic elements make the whole thing rather epic, grandiose and almost pompous. If you have a similar weakness, then Arkona are definitely a band to check out.

The Score Of Much Metal: 8.5

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n4HgKKLTC0]

If you’ve enjoyed this review, check out my others via my reviews pages or by clicking the links right here:

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