As previously stated, I received a small cache of albums from my good friend Sam with explicit instructions to review them on this page. Since you don’t know Sam (you should, he’s smart and funny!), you don’t know how Sam’s mind works. These weren’t just any albums, they were National Socialist Black Metal albums. This is just one of Sam’s ingenious plans: ask his little Jewish-born friend to listen to critique music recorded by bands who pray to Wotan that he will be smote. Nice, Sam. Real nice. Since then, I have reviewed Graveland’s Fire Chariot of Destruction, and two weeks before that I heard Nokturnal Mortum’s NeChrist. Today I’ve had the opportunity to listen to Folkstorm Of The Azure Nights by Temnozor.
Temnozor formed just over a decade ago in Obninsk, Russia. Roughly 100km southwest of Moscow, it is home to slightly over 100,000 citizens. Obninsk is known for its scientific contributions. The first nuclear reactor to be used for electricity production opened there in 1954. This would be where Temnozor would begin their careers as a raw black metal outfit. Through the years, folk music has played a more predominant role in their sound. Temnozor are quite proud of their Slavic heritage, and music happens to be the medium they use to reflect their joy. They also hate monotheistic traditions. But then again, who doesn’t? So far, I’d say these guys are alright.
The title track that opens Folkstorm Of The Azure Nights features an introduction of whispered vocals over sorrowful synthesizers and distant tom-heavy drumming. Razor-sharp, fuzzed-out guitars propel shift the shape of the tune into traditional chug-a-lug territory traversed by most bands pinned to the genre. The vocals are quite incredible. I don’t think I’ve heard a black metal record with such good singing…ever! And I’ve heard maybe 10 black metal records! Usually it’s some guy growling or screeching, trying to sound like a blood-thirsty ghoul. Temnozor’s vocalist sounds like a black metal Marvin Lee Aday (a dear friend of mine who you might know as Meat Loaf). Apparently the band does not list a roster, nor do they ever divulge who is responsible for what aspect of the recording, but the man responsible for singing track one has a great voice.
Of course the album’s second track “Uranakrik” sucks mightily. The vocals are delivered in a guttural scream, and the melody sounds like something that might be cranked out by that kid in high school who used to wear a trench-coat year round and carry a Jackson Kelly guitar. It might not be so terrible if the drums were bumped up, but the mix is so vocal/guitar heavy that the drums are often lost in the background. If black metal is about sounding as brutal and huge as possible, it might benefit your band to actually utilize the instrument most responsible for sounding massive. “Uranakrik” also contains a flute solo just before the track suddenly fades out. “Where The Lazure Skies Tear The Hearts Apart” combines acoustic and electric guitars with endlessly rolling drums and orchestral synths to form the closest thing to a black metal ballad I’ve heard in quite some time. The pretty vocals return briefly, but are switched off in favor of growls that sound totally out of place, and not in a Kengo Iuchi “I sound like I’ve been stabbed in the eye” manner, which at times can sound endearing. No, this sounds like an unnecessary technique that was included purposefully in order to keep the black metal descriptor firmly in place. The standout track is easily the closer, “Tell Me, Ye Scarlet Dewscented Sunrises,” in which the tenor vocals return for one last time–for the duration, thankfully–accompanied by several baritone voices. It’s beautiful and poetic. The flute solo doesn’t sound out of place. I don’t care if they hate me, I would listen to and enjoy an album of songs like this any day of the week. Just lose the egregious sword fight sounds and everything is cool.
I don’t know what the lyrics say, but according to several online reviews they are more concerned with Slavic pride and a paganish fondness for the natural world than with ostracizing outsiders or spewing hate at those who are not like them. I guess they are technically a NSBM band because they show excessive pride for Russia and Slavs, but do not mistake them for Nokturnal Mortum in the sense that they are Nazi sympathizers. A distinction must be made!
All told, I like this one more than Nokturnal Mortum but not as much as Gravelands.
