Blood of the Black Owl - A Banishing Ritual
Bindrune Recordings
Meditative Doom
4 songs (41:23)
Release year: 2010
Blood of the Black Owl on Bindrune Recordings
Reviewed by Crash

The first thing that I can say about Blood of the Black Owl is that there is barely any of what you would call music. I mean, it definitely sounds like music with tempo, rhythm, and low bassy gurgles that glide underneath. But there doesn’t seem to me much of a purpose, musically. I know that the intention behind it has purpose, but what about music itself? It starts off small and ends up big, like hiking up a mountain.

I’m not quite sure how it never feels like music but it’s form is too defined to be noise. In fact, I don’t even think that I could call this metal outside of the second track Statement of the Will, which has droned out guitars and heavy drums. Everything else is sounds for the most part.

It at least appears that way until the end of the first track, the thirteen minute Intent. What was a parade of marching noises and shakers grew from pebbles into a mountain. The droning sounds take effect and let you linger away before shocking you open with the next added twist. Eventually a flute cuts through and forms an almost melody before it kicks into the only metal on the record. This effect and journey is completely capable of drawing you in and letting you linger until you are completely absorbed.

Unfortunately… It starts to go downhill from there. It never gets bad, but what sounded like a genuine build of emotion suddenly turns monotonous. It’s a shame really, because writing an album of ten minute long songs is hard. Even harder is writing ten minute songs people like. Doom is notorious for it’s use of slow tempos and long songs so trying to make someone listen to a forty minute record of continuous drone is near impossible. Sunn 0)) have probably come the closest to this and no one seems capable of matching their power. Then again then, this is a record for meditation and an especially high mind. Without it, it’s good. With it, it’s music.

Blood of the Black Owl is certainly worth a shot if you are into more ritualistic and primitive sounding doom over Sabbath worship. Sunn 0))) fans in particular. Unfortunately, they lack quite the charm that Sunn has or the staying power. Even then though, they do have a sound I can’t begin to describe and should be investigated solely on their uniqueness.

Killing Songs :
Intent and Statement of the Will
Crash quoted 74 / 100
Other albums by Blood of the Black Owl that we have reviewed:
Blood of the Black Owl - Blood of the Black Owl reviewed by Alex and quoted 65 / 100
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There are 4 replies to this review. Last one on Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:05 pm
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