Review : 1349 – “Revelations Of The Black Flame”

1349 – “Revelations of The Black Flame”
released June 2, 2009 on Candlelight Records

I’ll be the first to admit that 2005’s Hellfire put me off with it’s relentless drive and unwavering lack of variation, but no one was expecting this. They hook up with Tom Warrior of Celtic Frost, and deliver a decidedly different incarnation of the blistering black metal we’ve come to know for the past three albums. Seeking to create more atmosFear, they actually avoid jackhammering into your earholes for most of the album. It’s better produced than the last Darkthrone, but not nearly as polished as Satyricon’s latest; and frankly, it’s less fun than either. The mix is muddied on even the best of tracks, which makes for a frustrating listen. Synthesizers are prevalent—playing major roles in tracks 1, 3, 5, 8, and 9—but typically generate aimless, ambient noise. It all comes across as unsuccessful experimentation, and the band would be wise to reconsider this odd detour on future releases. 7 is a Pink Floyd cover, played by Ravn and Tom Warrior. Something about all this smacks of ‘pet project.’

FCC OK
Try 4, 6

01. Invocation
02. Serpentine Sibilance
03. Horns
04. Maggot Fetus…Teeth Like Thorns
05. Misanthropy
06. Uncreation
07. Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun
08. Solitude
09. At The Gate…

Rating:  

~Matt Longo