LVX CAELIS "Maher Shalal Hash Baz"



LVX CAELIS

"Maher Shalal Hash Baz"

No idea what the album title means, but I doubt it is "Leave Your Laundry Out Tonight". LVX CAELIS from Chile would probably not appreciate the joke; like most "ritualistic" black metal bands, humor is not a big part of their make-up. However, they do seem to understand the essence of the howling cosmic abyss and have tried to give it sonic form.

Quite a few bands attempt to capture a "Lovecraftian" feeling of cosmic horror and doom, but these guys are better at it than most. "Maher Shalal Hash Baz" is a record that has just as much death metal influence as black metal and should appeal to fans of early BOLT THROWER and ASPHYX as well as entitites like ABSU and THE CHASM. This is a very heavy, roaring kind of black metal that has that hard to define eldritch sound to it. "Beyond The Falling Stars" has an odd, unpredictable structure that finally locks in to one hell of a sick, grooving riff. Singer/guitarist Irad has a bellowing, bull-like voice that's quite different than either the usual death or black tones.

LVX CAELIS knows how to vary their songs to keep interest. Tracks like "Fading Into Golgotha" and "The Beginning Was The End" start with a cyclone force of interstellar rage that knocks you off your feet, but then often switch to catchy mid-paced riffs or even outright crawling doom. Using the word "catchy" in connection with intensely evil music like this doesn't seem appropriate, but the hooks stick in your brain. They also toss in spacy ambience and ritual tones to add spice.

Final analysis: LVX CAELIS delivers a powerful hammerblow of deep, mystical darkness. Something for the brave to investigate!

LAMECH RECORDS

LVX CAELIS

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