Zaklon ‎"Nikoli" CD

All hymns by Temnarod. Recorded in January 2014 anno bastardi. True Autumnal Black Metal from Belar

Heathen Atmospheric Black Metal from Belarus. 16 pages booklet.

With a discography that includes four demos and now four albums, the one-man-band Zaklon started last year (2014) with a new full-length. However, “Nikoli…” had its worldwide distribution only in October 2014 via Possession Productions in Europe and Embassy Row Music in the USA.
The opening track “Atruta” kicks off in a dark ambient soundscape in which we can hear the twittering of maritime birds till the guitar, accompanied by simple drums, bursts into the scene in a smooth way, yet paradoxically distorted. But before entering the black metal canvas that’s balanced by the mid-tempo, the band inducts a bridge with a post-rock/metal approach comprised by a shimmering guitar. That shimmering guitar ends to be applied as leading one supported by a melancholic wall of sound (unfortunately not as robust as intended).
In spite of this first song consists in a melancholic mid-tempo, Zaklon also include really fast passages, but a downside is found there due to a synthetic and robotic drumming work. Nevertheless, the melancholic and even sad panorama keeps being part of the band’s imaginary. Those two characteristics are majorly delivered by the lead guitar which is presented in two forms: it can be harmonious with distinct notes, but it also can be cutting and strongly rhythmic. A doom metal approach can be found in the track “Ahni” in which the sound of the guitars is perpetuated through the air in a very slow way – however, soon we are taken back to the black metal sound, and this time the drums aren’t so synthetic (which is a good thing, of course). The album is closed by the sixth “Dym” which is an acoustic song with an enormous tragic touch completed by orchestral arrangements and spoken-word verses.
Overall, the tracks – excepting the first and the last one – may sound repetitive, but they’re not boring. In that repetitive wave it’s possible to feel a cloudy aura and a grey landscapes of errant souls that are accomplished in the black metal intention of this Belarusian project.

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