Frozen Grave
General 12"
| Mar 2014
Reviews
The Grunt
Reviewed 2014-03-28
Reviewed 2014-03-28
Hail // Frozen Grave
TAGS: Neofolk, Dark Ambient, Black Metal
Wow, what an album!!! Originally released on CDr in 2009, this gem was picked up and released on white vinyl by Pesanta Urfolk in 2012. You should really read the liner notes too because, in a sense, this is a concept album. Inspired by a rather gory but beautiful poem written by Polish/German Expressionist Georg Heym about an autopsy. READ THE POEM!!! They use it as a motif to explore the intersection between black metal and neofolk. This album, in many ways, represents a modern current of black metal and why I like the genre so much…it's so much more about atmosphere and seeing the beauty in darkness than screaming or distorted guitars.
This album takes its time and slowly unravels its beauty to you. The majority of this album is good for people who have no interest in "metal". CHECK IT OUT!!! Mention that it was graciously gifted to us by the superb Pesanta Urfolk label.
SIDE A: MOSTLY BLACK METAL WITH PURE BEAUTY ON A2
A1.) + Very Icy and atmospheric black metal. Acoustic interlude with spoken word. Guitar slide from Hell takes us back into the fray.
A2.) + + Beautiful instrumental neofolk. Warm acoustic guitars and mandolin sound almost Spanish. Bowed strings. Spoken word in German from some really old recording. This is gorgeous and slightly creepy.
Side B: BASICALLY ALL INDUSTRIAL / DARK AMBIENT
B1.) + + Cool cool cool dark electronic / industrial. Deep dark synth rumble, dark ambient sounds, and creepy monologues in english, german, and maybe japanese. Some high-pitched-but-mellow screeches as well as a light synth melody deep in the background. This is a beautiful atmosphere.
B2.) Dark ambient low rumbles with jangly metallic noises…and a flute!
Side C : BASICALLY ALL NEOFOLK!!! PLAY THIS WHOLE SIDE!!!
C1.) + + Icy black metal BRIEFLY then acoustic guitar and martial drums rise up, despite being acoustic manages to keep the black metal aesthetic intact. Turns more DREAMY neofolk with some deep male drone chants…you'll forget there was ever any black metal in this song at all.
C2.) + + Continuation of C1 with some genuine throat singing and overtones.
Side D: EQUAL PARTS NEOFOLK AND BLACK METAL
D1: Sounds like melody from Black Plague (A2)? Underneath the chants and beautiful guitars, the latter verses of the poem are recited…a declaration of love for the corpse lying on the dissecting table. BLACK METAL COMES CRASHING IN!!! Repetitive, contemplative, meditative. The doctor brings the hammer down upon the temple of the corpse.
TAGS: Neofolk, Dark Ambient, Black Metal
Wow, what an album!!! Originally released on CDr in 2009, this gem was picked up and released on white vinyl by Pesanta Urfolk in 2012. You should really read the liner notes too because, in a sense, this is a concept album. Inspired by a rather gory but beautiful poem written by Polish/German Expressionist Georg Heym about an autopsy. READ THE POEM!!! They use it as a motif to explore the intersection between black metal and neofolk. This album, in many ways, represents a modern current of black metal and why I like the genre so much…it's so much more about atmosphere and seeing the beauty in darkness than screaming or distorted guitars.
This album takes its time and slowly unravels its beauty to you. The majority of this album is good for people who have no interest in "metal". CHECK IT OUT!!! Mention that it was graciously gifted to us by the superb Pesanta Urfolk label.
SIDE A: MOSTLY BLACK METAL WITH PURE BEAUTY ON A2
A1.) + Very Icy and atmospheric black metal. Acoustic interlude with spoken word. Guitar slide from Hell takes us back into the fray.
A2.) + + Beautiful instrumental neofolk. Warm acoustic guitars and mandolin sound almost Spanish. Bowed strings. Spoken word in German from some really old recording. This is gorgeous and slightly creepy.
Side B: BASICALLY ALL INDUSTRIAL / DARK AMBIENT
B1.) + + Cool cool cool dark electronic / industrial. Deep dark synth rumble, dark ambient sounds, and creepy monologues in english, german, and maybe japanese. Some high-pitched-but-mellow screeches as well as a light synth melody deep in the background. This is a beautiful atmosphere.
B2.) Dark ambient low rumbles with jangly metallic noises…and a flute!
Side C : BASICALLY ALL NEOFOLK!!! PLAY THIS WHOLE SIDE!!!
C1.) + + Icy black metal BRIEFLY then acoustic guitar and martial drums rise up, despite being acoustic manages to keep the black metal aesthetic intact. Turns more DREAMY neofolk with some deep male drone chants…you'll forget there was ever any black metal in this song at all.
C2.) + + Continuation of C1 with some genuine throat singing and overtones.
Side D: EQUAL PARTS NEOFOLK AND BLACK METAL
D1: Sounds like melody from Black Plague (A2)? Underneath the chants and beautiful guitars, the latter verses of the poem are recited…a declaration of love for the corpse lying on the dissecting table. BLACK METAL COMES CRASHING IN!!! Repetitive, contemplative, meditative. The doctor brings the hammer down upon the temple of the corpse.
Recent airplay
B1: Exit
Today's Show — Jun 16, 2014
C1: The Autopsy Ii
BravoMarco Variety Show — May 24, 2014
A2: Black Plague
no voices aloud — May 16, 2014
C2: The Cold Grain, C1: The Autopsy Ii, A2: Black Plague
Music Casserole — May 10, 2014
D1: The Autopsy Iii
Deathcrush — Apr 21, 2014
B1: Exit
Meow MIA: Catnip After Midnight — Apr 09, 2014
Charting
2014-03-28 — 2014-05-30
Loud
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 |
| May 18 | 1 |
| May 11 | 1 |
| Apr 27 | 1 |
| Apr 13 | 1 |
| Apr 6 | 2 |
Track listing
| 1. | A1: The Autopsy I | ||
| 2. | A2: Black Plague | ||
| 3. | B1: Exit | ||
| 4. | B2: Lonesome | ||
| 5. | C1: The Autopsy Ii | ||
| 6. | C2: The Cold Grain | ||
| 7. | D1: The Autopsy Iii |