Metal fans have no arguments about not being educated in their music, as from the start of this thing, bands have been reinterpreting history in their art. Iron Maiden spent their entire career being a world-touring history book, and plenty of other bands have dug back in the annals to tell a story long passed that can be applied to the present.
Black metal explorers Ershetu already visited the Mayan culture on their debut record, but for go around two “Yomi,” the band—multi-instrumentalist Sacr, conceptual mastermind Void, vocalist/bassist/guitarist Vindsval (Blut Aus Nord), drummer/percussionist Intza Roca—visits Japan and delves into Shintoism, the ancient national religion that originated in 1,000 BCE and still exists today. But this isn’t a straight-up black metal record in the traditional sense. The band incorporated instruments from the region to also color these tracks with a touch of the country in which these stories originated.
“Ketsurui” begins with water dripping, Japanese instrumentation flooding the senses, and then a hypnotic, mystical energy unfolds, feeling both fiery and cloudy. Shrieks spread as a fantasy feel enraptures, choral calls swim, and everything blurs out in mystery. “Jikoku” also dawns with strings, and then a storming, ferocious force come to life, vicious and stirring melodies rampage, the atmosphere swirls above you. Howls wrench as a monstrous pace engulfs, leads sweeping into arresting orchestration and a stunning end. “Sekiryō” shimmers with gong smashing, strings riveting, piano keys drizzling. Roars storm as the playing quivers, angling into a sound swarm, foggy and spirited folk instruments adding to the ambiance, everything succumbing to the eye of a storm.
“Abikyōkan” also feels watery as it dawns, chants form a cloud overhead, and then the growls add a sense of menace, guitars gaining steam and increasing the heat. An emotional gust takes you by force, punishing as the vocals get heavier before a calm gathers and pulls everything into a pocket of serenity. “Kagutsuchi” is powerful and bruising, the strings gliding as chorals flood, eventually ripping open and stretching exposed muscle. The pace pushes and pulls, group vocals cause a haunting vision, and then guitars race anew, jarring and destroying before ending in woodwinds. Closer “Nenokatasukuni” surrounds with drums pounding, mysticism spreading widely, and then the heart of the track is torn from its chest and left exposed. There are doomy sequences and portions that aim to hammer, speedy and spacious parts aligning, the playing cascading hard. The howls multiply, softer instruments add a cloudy essence, and everything fades into chimes and bubbling water.
Ershetu’s sojourns into different ancient traditions not only have made their music interesting thematically, but it has allowed them to embrace sounds and spirits not often common in heavy music. “Yomi” is an adventure from front to back, something that sounds nothing like most of that you’ve heard this year but also doesn’t just stick out for being novelty. The music is immersive and quaking, taking on traits of the source material and becoming a greater whole that is equal parts fascinating and ferocious.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/ershetu
To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://debemurmorti.aisamerch.com/
Or here (Europe): https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/12-eshop
For more on the label, go here: https://www.debemur-morti.com/en/
Meat Mead Metal 