Nightfall "Athenian Echoes" Cassette

"...I realized that what the wings are for the sky, the horns are for the earth..."

The "Army of Chosen Ones" have done it again with their third full-length lp since their inception in '91, all of which have been on the French Holy Records. While their previous mini-lp, Eons Aura, isn't exactly a precursor to the sound featured here, Athenian Echoes sees the band hammer into black metal speeds ala Darkthrone and Emperor without the corpse-painted lyrical beliefs, but more importantly Nightfall award these eight tracks with remarkable colliding styles, unorthodox blending of structures, tingling atmosphere, driving heaviness and rage of battle - point in fact, they were dubbed 'war metal' at the time as much as you agree or disagree.
Lead in by funeral-toned keys and piano, "Aye Azure" explodes into a practical warcry with flying, yet clear velocity, the bellowing of Efthimus Karadimas and keys that flash in abruptly like lightning, adding an epic quality to the fray. The intensity suddenly subsides, intercepted by the unexpected melody-maker "Armada" that can throw a listener off, then blasts into jarring speed again. These coalitions of melody and mayhem intertwine more times memorable, all the while tapping into a profusion of styles from candlelight piano pieces ("I'm a Daemond") to Arabic/Egyptian chant music (beginning of "Ishtar") and finally Dracula-esque organs fronting an odd disco beat (start of "My Red, My Moon"). Wrapping sonic speeds with harmony are "The Vineyard" and "Iris (And the Burning Aureole)" with illustrations of Amorphis-like organ play.
Nightfall bring forth a prime display of diapason and power united, being able to go to the mat with pure metal or an ethnic blending of styles like few others. War isn't all steamroll forward and destroy - there is time to interrogate the captured, bask in the sun of accomplishment, celebrate victories and toast the fallen.

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