SITHARI: Before The Dawn (BLACK METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

A good twenty years ago, the United States was one of the most exciting hotbeds of the genre thanks to Xasthur, Leviathan, Velvet Cacoon, and Agalloch, but it has been a long time since the country has been at the forefront of black metal. Nevertheless, the country remains fertile ground for small bands that proliferate in basements or lurk in the woods. Sithari is one such band, a duo of unknown ghouls. However, Pathos, the drummer, pounds his drums in a number of bands, but none of them have reached our ears.

Gorgoroth, Immortal, Sargeist, Horna, and Satanic Warmaster are among their claimed influences. In addition to demonstrating the two musicians' obvious good taste, these references above all set the tone (black) for a style of black metal that is both aggressive and orthodox, yet tinged with cold and sharp melodies.

“Before The Dawn” is their first sign of death, a simple EP perhaps, but one that is nevertheless sufficiently substantial with its thirty minutes of playing time. Like the title of this trial run, which does not demonstrate any fierce originality, Sithari is obviously not inventing anything new. Nevertheless, their ability to unleash a violent blizzard is no less real. The fact that some compositions exceed six minutes or more reveals a mostly sinuous writing style, galloping along a rugged ridge where more atmospheric spaces open up. These are the ones we prefer.

Thus, after the furious “Chaos In The Skies” and “Before The Dawn,” propelled by blasts, the album gains interest starting with “Conquer The Wild,” which, pulling back on the handbrake, ends beautifully. After a heavy and sizzling start, “Hail Victory” reaps corpses at a frenetic pace on a battlefield from which a pale melodic glow nevertheless emerges. As for the final track, “The Everlasting Hunt,” it thrashes for more than eight minutes with swirling, nocturnal black metal.

While Sithari would benefit from diversifying his music, “Before The Dawn” is nevertheless a promising debut. - Official website

SITHARI

BEFORE THE DAWN

ASHER MEDIA

BLACK METAL