Odal "Der Dunkelheit Reiter" vinyl 12"EP (Bonustrack)

New 2016 mini album ! 30 minutes playing time including a unreleased bonus track from a older recording.

Taaken: Gitarren, Gesang, Tasten & FX
Grroll: Schlagzeug
ADD: Bass

Only recently discovered but immediately having become one of my favorites when it comes to black metal, the latest full length by Thuringian maniacs Odal “Geistes Unruh” has been released in 2016. Shortly before in the same year, after some kind of hiatus for several years, Taaken and his compatriots have released an EP, titled “Der Dunkelheit Reiter”. The three tracks give a clear about what can be expected of modern Odal, and with a playing time of more than 25 minutes there is enough flesh on the bones for a short yet tasty meal.
Melancholic guitar harmonies are often dwelling in the background, while the stoic and hypnotic basic chords are responsible for a dense atmosphere. The fascinating chord progressions are accompanied by melodic trademark lead lines, defining the character of each single song. The speed is not that fast for a black metal record, with only a few passages where the tempo is upped. However, the melodic harmonies and the fantastic hooks make the record a very enjoyable affair from start to finish.
The song-writing is polished and you can see that we are not talking about newbies here. The single parts are always merged into fascinating songs, and some of the hooks and melodies are really memorable and will give the listener something to remember after a few spins. The music creates a bleak atmosphere while offering a certain kind of melancholic beauty. The interaction of these different moods is what makes Odal so special.
The drumming is straight-forward, and while there are a lot of faster double-beat sections and a lot of details like fills or rhythm changes to highlight certain parts, the music never feels nervous or overly chaotic. Odal have put a lot of emphasis on presenting stringent songs and a nicely flowing album.
“Der Dunkelheit Reiter“ is rounded off by a stunning cover and a nice production job. The guitars sound clear and the drums have enough punch and a natural and organic feel. While there is always something going on in the background and atmosphere is king there is a certain level of rawness giving the album enough grittiness to be of interest for any fan of heavy yet harmonic music.

Sample: