You would think we, as humankind, would have learned something over the years about demonizing people based on whatever criteria on which the bullshit is based. We used to burn women suspected as witches and, big surprise here, one of the leading forces behind such barbarism was the Catholic church. Who could have guessed?
Mysterious new black metal force Beneath Moonlight create a story based on those hellish times on their debut self-titled EP. The first part of what they call “Henricus Institor” saga, this is a six-track collection of piano-rich, gothically theatrical demons that target the German churchman who wrote Malleus Maleficarum which basically was the handbook for attacking witchcraft by the Catholic church. Here, the band—vocalist The Inquisitor, pianist The Sanguinarian, guitarist The Ghastly Vrykolak, guitarist/bassist The Haunted Strigoi, drummer The Impaler—tells of the Institor’s growing influence and ego, where a plot is undertaken to turn the church figure into a beast. The band itself is part of the Ordo Vampyr Orientis banner that also contains Bad Manor, Bat Magic, and Bestial Majesty, and if you’re at all familiar with that group’s bizarre take on the most extreme forms of metal, you know that this will be a journey you need to repeat for it to truly sink in.
“Intro – Malleus Maleficarum” opens in pure eeriness, noises clanging, whispers clouding your mind, the strangeness echoing out into “None Before God” where guitars and keys gather to sprawl. The Inquisitor’s inhuman shrieks are hard to take at first, though as the EP progresses, it makes more sense. Repeated visits help too. A horrific elegance is afoot, colorful leads flooding, keys splashing, and the pace spiraling, the electricity vibrating from within. “Reckoning of the Inquisitor” blasts, banshee wails overwhelming, the speed getting into higher gear as a dash of frigidity sets in. Keys glimmer as screams sicken, the energy grows dangerously tornadic, and sounds drizzle, leaving a mist behind. “Versipellis” ravages, the playing drilling holes in your skull, keys slathering and vibrating, letting the drama hit a high point. The playing gets back into punishing mode, the pace feeling like a relentless storm on a freezing autumn night, shrieks coming unhinged. The title track, which also happens to be the name of the band, lights up with guitars, heat, and 1980s bombast, the attitude dripping like blood. Anguished cries ravage as spirited leads crash the gates, keys sweep in and add to the madness, emotions caterwauling and fading. “Vals – Malleus Lycanthroporum” is an instrumental outro, keys trickling, feeling both playful and rich in shadows, the life draining away ever so slowly.
I mean, we aren’t quite back to burning witches, but if you follow the political happenings in the U.S., is it that far-fetched an idea? Beneath Moonlight might be drawing from an ancient text and twisting the story to make the perpetrator face the flames, but there could be a nod to modern times where these horrors threaten to return. Definitely not an EP or band that will speak to all metal fans, but the ones who do hear the calling will be enchanted and haunted, hopefully enough to turn the axe on the alleged masters.
For more on the band, go here: https://ordovampyrorientis.bandcamp.com/
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 