From the rawest sounds of black metal, to symphonic heights comes Astaroth Incarnate. They sound something like if Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth made a child, and then that child was more wicked than the parents.
Hailing from Toronto, Ontario with two releases under their belts, Astaroth Incarnate are well on their way at introducing the world to their vision of extremity. They are a five-piece, and each of them bring their influences to the table. Their wish is to have a limitless sound while staying true to their roots, and this metalhead is loving every bit of it. Others have also dug their sound as they have performed alongside other heavy hitters such as Beyond Creation, Goatwhore and more.
Their latest release, Ascendance, dropped December 6th, 2019. It's a 3 track EP and clocks in at 17 minutes. While it may be a short spin, it leaves the listener wanting much more. Each song is imbued with personal reflection from the members which gives the EP a personal aspect that can't be faked. They blend the lines of black, melodic, thrash and doom into what the band themselves have dubbed as Apocalyptic Metal.
Track one: I AM FIRE / I AM DEATH [ALPHA] Spintime: 5:40 Right away, first track is my definite favorite off the EP. It kicks things off with an ethereal soundscape and haunting guitar. It doesn't linger long on this, as it kicks thing into what can only be described as a sound that invokes the end with a blast of drums, guitars and operatic vocals. The more traditional black metal vocals come in soon thereafter, and the entire sound is a wonderful journey.
Track two: I AM FIRE / I AM DEATH [OMEGA] Spin time: 5:20 The sonic continuation to track one is just as much a trip as the first. It slows the tempo down and is more of a death march. The overall sound scaping is still present, and the guitars get some wonderful lines to shine.
Track three: HER GHOST IN THE FOG Guest vocals by Timothy Voldemars (Hexenklad, Eclipse Eternal) Spin time: 6:27 "Her Ghost in the Fog" is a strong contender for my favorite off the EP release, and honestly, its a bit funny I even gave a favorite as each track is amazing. With the piano intro, it feels like you've been invited into a gothic manor which quickly goes awry and an army of black metal worshippers are burning the whole place down. The beauty and darkness they're able to concoct, not to mention the wickedness, is amazing.
Check out the video for I AM FIRE / I AM DEATH [ALPHA] off of the EP release.
As always, if you like what you've heard from them, be sure to follow them as they have plans to release their first full length album this year! Congratulations are also in order to Astaroth Incarnate as they recently were awarded the Breakthrough North/Central American Band 2019 from Global Metal Apocalypse Awards 2019.
Extreme metal doesn't get much better than this.
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