Lykhaeon - "Ominous Eradication of Anguished Souls" (Godz ov War Productions, 2018)

Band: Lykhaeon
Title: Ominous Eradication of Anguished Souls
Genre: Black/Doom Metal
Time: 26:17 min
Year: 22nd May 2018
Rating: 74/100













Impenetrable. Yes, I think that this word is perfect to describe "Ominous Eradication of Anguished Souls", the new EP by Lykhaeon, three Swiss energumens that are affiliated with the Helvetic Underground Committee, a sort of black metal sect that consist, among others, of Dakhma (whose debut album has been recently released by the infamous Iron Bonehead Prod). That EP is very impenetrable just starting from the artwork of its digipack; an artwork so dark that you have to do some incredible efforts to read even the credits to understand them! And, when you put on the Lykhaeon CD, it gets more impenetrable due to a really hostile and grim production. At this point, "Ominous..." is so impenetrable that it seem to be a shadowy cult only fit for some selected worshippers! Then, you realize that the better way to understand the music of Lykhaeon is a good pair of headphones, in order not only to discover the most hidden details but also because the two songs of this EP are so long that no kind of distraction is accepted, so the headphones are MANDATORY in every case! After this adjustment, you are destined to be possessed by a music that deserves a fuckin' lot!

13 minutes! Yes, this opus has only two tracks, simply named "Chthonios I" and "Chthonios II", and each of them lasts the agonizing beauty of 13 minutes! But don't fear this "excessive" lenght because Lykhaeon use it very well in order to create monumental rites that looks to be a more black metal-oriented version of bands like Vassafor and Temple Nightside. Said in other words: they play a black/doom metal with some dissonant riffs, a completely crazy vocal department that range from deep growls to hallucinated howlings, and a pace able to spew forth majestic and chaotic moments in blast-beat and also ultra-doom ritualistic sequences, as perfectly exemplified by "Chthonios I", that's certainly my favorite song. Strange is the atmosphere create by these elements because it's really cathartic...but in a devilish sense in search of abominable and forgotten secrets! I appreciate also "Chthonios II" but, unfortunately, it ends through a long 5-minute atmospheric outro that now I skip systematically, considering my atavistic hate towards this kind of intros/outros.

So, after Truchlo Strzygi and GraveCoven, the Polish label Godz ov War Productions strikes again! Yes, because Lykhaeon have released something able to be violent but atmospheric, mysterious but carnal in a right way so to draw the attentions of brave metalheads that have no fear to face 13-minute monolithic songs. Hence, if you want to enter the unknown dimension visited by Lykhaeon, I suggest you not only to use the headphones but also to listen again and again to "Ominous...", since we are talking about a difficult release with a bunch of hidden details...without forgetting an impenetrable production!

Tracklist:

1 - Chthonios I
2 - Chthonios II

Line-up:

K - vocals/guitars/bass
S - guitars/vocals
I - drums

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lykhaeon
BandCamp: http://lykhaeon.bandcamp.com/
Helvetic Underground Committee: http://helunco.blogspot.com/
Godz ov War Productions: http://godzovwar.com/