Article By: Pat ‘Riot’ Whitaker ‡ Edited By: Leanne Ridgeway
Finland’s blackened metallic unit Black Royal recently (May 12th) issued the 2-song ‘Dying Star‘ 7″ via Suicide Records.
The mission is to give a preview of their upcoming début LP, which is due to be released in early 2018. Until that time, there is this. This, as it were, is the title track “Dying Star“ (and its subsequent Lyric Video) and B-side, ‘”Reformation“.
The four-member Black Royal, who proudly proclaim their music as “death blues”, consists of vocalist Riku, guitarist/ background vocals, Toni, drummer/ vocals Jukka, and bassist Pete. Keyboards on the recording were contributed by Jussi Columbia. Their sound itself blends bits of black metal with doom, sludge, and a touch or two of atmospherics.
In fact, after a briefly heady intro, the title track “Dying Star” rolls out like a runaway tank. Steamroller guitars churn as the machine gun-like rhythms pound away and acidic vocals are delivered. The flourishes of keys add a definite unique quality prior to the song’s turn to a melodic, more ambient mood mid-way. The Gregorian chants that bellow forth during this section, along with an anguished vocal, all work rather nicely. Hear for yourself in the streaming visualizer for the said song below.
“Reformation” is instantly altogether different from its predecessor as thick, doom riffs reverberate right from the start. A clearly more guttural, death metal-ish vocal is administered, as the slower grooves of the song become quite infectious. The sheer heaviness of the song and the rather hellish sound it exudes are simply outstanding. That includes a turn to a much more melodic segment near the song’s end, complete with more harmonized group vocals and a fantastic fade out.
The insight that Black Royal‘s ‘Dying Star‘ 7″ provides is enough to whet one’s appetite for more… much, much more. Both of these cuts are intensely enthralling and will definitely leave you wanting more.
Apparently that more will come in 2018, but until then you really should check this effort out. Start here:
