Fertile Descent
Solar Temple
SOLAR TEMPLE is a Black Metal band, new to the scene of dark magic and ritual sacrifice. They released a Demo in 2017, and now have come back with their debut full-length, titled "Fertile Descent, which contains two extended tracks. "Those who Dwell in the Spiral Dark" opens with some noise, replicated to sound like screams. A steady guitar riff then builds, followed by drums. It has a melancholy sound, but is fairly traditional in terms of the Black Metal genre...a "wall" of sound with a half-note variation. Spoken word vocals are done in monotone, as the riff climbs a bit out of the cellar. It is mesmerizing in scope. At the half-way mark, the sound drops off in favor of an acoustical guitar passage, with the song building in the background. The bass thuds away, pounding you, while the guitar maintains a steady presence, and it's back to the opening sound. Although it's pretty harrowing, it isn't altogether unique.
"White Jaw" is the second track, and is a bit longer, clocking in at just over 20 minutes. Following a long build-up, the sound roars in, with a four-note extension where the third chord is held. Stoic vocals can be heard echoing in the background, barely above a whisper. At about the three minute mark, the riff changes to something that materializes out of the dark shadows. They lay on this new sequence for about another three minutes, and the riff shifts again, with more monotone vocals. Another bossy riff takes charge, flirting with the INDUSTRIAL genre, sounding like something from RAMMSTEIN. It takes a different turn around the 11 minute mark, slowing to a grind, with indiscernible vocals. It carries forward until a long fade-out with what sounds like a spacecraft landing.
Overall, it's a bit hard to judge a band based on just two tracks, but it's fairly clear that they are unconventional. Black Metal is the basis for what they are writing, but it expands much deeper than that. I feel like they are almost on the edge of breaking out into something truly unique here, but are just feeling around under the surface a bit.
7 / 10
Good
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Fertile Descent" Track-listing:
1. Those who Dwell in the Spiral Dark
2. White Jaw
Solar Temple Lineup:
O. - Vocals, Guitars
M. - Drums
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