Oh, beautiful and grimy Norway, with your famous black metal bands and culture, thank you for the almighty Arcturus’ return!
Yes, for anyone reading this, ARCTURUS are back with their new studio album (5th since their formation and 1st after their reactivation in 2011) simply entitled “Arcturian”. It has also been ten years since these guys have officially released any new songs at all, so anyone should be wondering if the new sounds do worth the wait, and that’s what you’re about to find out, in the following lines.
With “Arctuarian” Arcturus don’t take any risks in changing their unique style, which is chaotic and theatrical black metal, the way only this band has been producing world wide with such quality. There’s a more old school perspective to the songs , if we could pronounce “old” their previous works which contain more black/ atmospheric metal parts (Aspera Hiems…/La Masquerade), than their latest ones with their familiar spacey sound (the Sham Mirrors/Sideshow…)
Here, you’ll get to hear harsh black metal vocals and Vortex’s unique and characteristic falsettos, Hellhammer’s complete palette of drumming, and the rest of their symphonic sound, with chilling moments and trippy soundscapes, produced by both guitar riffs and keyboards!
Another element you can’t miss, in an Arcturus album, is the extended usage of electronic beats and sounds, that are placed scarcely on the entire album, although helping the listener for that extra Arcturus trademark vision in sound! Production-wise I’ll have to say that there’s nothing wrong but there’s also nothing special to mention, rather for it being quite typical in balance and in their traditional sound!
Closing this review, I’m obliged to mention that the band did not progress into anything else, nor did they change their sound to the slightest! On the other hand, I also have to admit that, these few listening sessions have convinced me of the high quality music and the Arcturian standards’ that this release has enclosed within its entity! You can’t have anything go wrong when so many respectful people write and record music! Join their circus and you’ll never regret!
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