Zemial - Nykta (2013)

It's been 17 years now since Zemial's For the Glory of UR, a minor cult classic of Greek black metal which showed the potential to escape that tier of bands loitering the shadow of Rotting Christ's international success. Since that time, the multi-talented Archon Vorskaath has continued to record and release music at respectable intervals, crafting towards a more primitive, blackened thrash/heavy metal hybrid which resulted in some solid material like the Dusk EP a couple years ago (of which one track is actually included here). When I saw the cover for Nykta, I admit to a little confusion, since there was no Zemial logo, and it looked like one of Samael's minimalistic cosmic visuals of the late 90s, or something Hunter Hunt-Hendrix would use to 'transcend' black metal with Liturgy (quite a lot like their debut, Renihilation). But hey, it's not like one can trademark the use of an eclipse, black hole or celestial phenomena, and aesthetically I'm happy to say that this the image fits about 50% of the songwriting, which is in fact quite an interesting spin on the direction Archon was already headed.

At its core, Nykta is still a work of hybridized thrash and epic heavy metal riffing, with a surprising level of detail and atmosphere that hints at far more than just the latest retro tribute to the 80s. Sure, a load of the note progressions here smack of staples like Slayer, Bulldozer, Venom and Possessed, but the songs seem to vary between more direct black/thrashers like "Under Scythian Command" and more extensive, progressive cuts like "Ancient Arcane Scrolls" that thrive off their variation. He peppers the riffs with an abusive amalgamation of blackened rasps and brutish grunts, but also uses some cleaner narrative spoken word stuff, and occasionally a gritty but melodic delivery. The percussion really pokes through the mix, a clean mix of snare and bass with some really loud and busy fills from the higher pitched toms. Actually, a track like "Ancient Arcane Scrolls" half feels like a drum solo smothered in riffs, thanks to the jamming, jazzy fills which would be interesting enough to listen to if isolated from all the guitars and vocals. Another of the techniques that stood out to me were the tones of the leads and melodies, which were pretty stripped down and seemed like they were being performed off some 70s prog rock record. It's just another little detail which one wouldn't normally expect out of this style...and though it's not nearly so dramatic, reminded me of Sigh's playing on records like Hail Horror Hail.

He goes all out psychedelic space-prog thrash on the new, extended edition of "In the Arms of Hades" here which manages to fill outs its 11+ minute length with a spacious bridge and some excellent drums. And I have to say, he might just be on to something here. Combining the dirt, speed and aggression with these more trippy, joint-lighting freakout elements is not something I hear all the time, and really this is a centerpiece for the entire experience. Love the wavering Tom Warrior/Nocturno Culto vocals he dishes out in the first verse. The other would be "Pharos", 15 fucking minutes of cosmic escapism, prog rock/ambient contrasts invested with weird vocals, dirty but faintly shimmering synthesizers, and some excellent guitar lines. I also appreciated the intricacy of a lot of his speedier, thrash riffs, like in the latter half of  "Breath of Pestilence" which is mind-blowingly cool without being exceedingly technical. The rhythm guitar tone across Nykta is quite old school and never over saturated or overdriven with distortion; lending the songs an earthy authenticity which helps the music feel dated despite its obvious nuance. Apart from the gently booming tone, the bass lines don't usually have a lot of presence beyond feeding the rhythm guitars some depth and richness, but this is the only gaffe I could find in the production, and it's excusable.

The other issue I took was with the outro track "Out of the Cage - 333 for Drumset and Mechanical", which just seemed like 4 and a half minutes of silence, with what I believe might have been a faint drum click (?) in there...at least on the digital promo I got. Might be an error, but if not it's entirely useless listener trolling and doesn't belong on what is so otherwise inspired an album. It's like restoring a beautiful old automobile to road worthy perfection, and then slashing the tires. Beyond that, Nykta is accordingly magnificent, an old dog trying both new and old tricks and achieving a result that uniquely fits flush with the wave of 60s and 70s inspired psychedelia and prog rock pervading multiple metal genres in recent years. Of course, if you're not as into the marginal experimentation, and you just desire some of the blazing, infernal material he meted out on the last recording, tunes like "Under Scythian Command" and "Eclipse" will sate the avid fan of groups like Deathhammer, Antichrist, or even the latest few Darkthrone records. Nykta is a deceptively varied work which is hands down the most interesting Vorskaath has released, and while the guy has rarely if ever really 'disappointed', I found this superior even to the debut, and have listened through it (skipping track #9) a dozen times in the weeks since I received it. Hell, in lieu of a few surface flaws, this is quite likely to show up on my personal year's end list...it's really that compelling.

Verdict: Epic Win [8.75/10]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zemial-Official/199551066758156

Zemial - Dusk EP (2011)

I know by now not to expect anything on any subsequent Zemial record to closely reflect that of its predecessor, and while the new Dusk EP maintains the core black/thrash principles of their 2009 short player I Am the Dark, it's far better managed, with more complex guitar lines and a reminder of some of that epic architecture that the band manifest for their 2006 full-length In Monumentum. The pair of tracks present here span all over the metal spectrum, but they do it quite well, and I'd be lying to deny that this is perhaps the best one two punch in their entire catalog...

There is just so much happening here. "In the Arms of Hades" begins with a thrust of wonderful, well constructed black/speed/thrash with impressive, barking vocals that possess just the perfect amount of reverb. You'll hear Bathory, Sodom, Venom, and even Tom G Warrior in there among others, but after only a minute Archon begins to implement these graceful, grazing melodies that seem torn from a scene of the ancient world. Briefly past that, it goes into this epic, heavy metal march sequence, slowly layers in clanking percussion, and then returns to a twist of melodic thrash before petering out into wispy melodies. My only regret is really that it doesn't bring back that voracious opening sequence in any meaningful fashion. But the other track, "Cries Behind the Golden Walls", compensates with more of the band's tiny, epic melodies flowing over a glorious mesh of Manilla Road and Bathory...

It's enough that by the time the 14 minutes were up, I was certainly craving for more. Each tune is captivating and versatile, and yet another solid nick in the belt for one of the more enduring Hellenic outfits. I'll tell you this: if Vorskaath could get his ass in gear and produce a full-length like this in the coming years, it will have a broad appeal, between both the old school epic heavy metal crowd and those who fancy some creativity in their black or thrash metal. Not a lot of bands are touting a hybrid like this, and it's very effective, even if the tone of the melodic guitar does feel a bit wimpy.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (bite hard thy fare and surrender)

http://www.myspace.com/zemial

Zemial - I Am the Dark EP (2009)

Zemial is a band that has not quite sat still through the sparse schedule of releases they've produced over two decades, each representing a slight shift towards or away from the primal black metal aesthetics that first inspired them. So it's not a big surprise that the I Am the Dark EP sounds little like its predecessor, the majestic In Monumentum full-length, which was as much an epic heavy metal record as anything else. No, the two tracks present here probe back into the annals of time, to drag forth a raw, pumping, black thrash & roll element which seems like a cross-strain of Hellhammer, Bathory, Venom and perhaps even a bit of Mr. Kilminster. Then again, even between this pair of creations, there is a distinct variation...

"I Am the Dark" is pretty much what I described, a straight laced, black rocker with groovy blues rhythms. There's a nice, dark atmosphere here created by the reverb in the growling, carnal vocals, not to mention the thick guitar tone, but ultimately the chorus feels a bit 'common' and predictable like any given NWOBHM or archaic power metal piece. "Words from the Temple of Shadows", on the other hand, is a dirty, blunt speed/thrasher which is saved by its addictive use of samples and effects after the strong lead sequence, and the ensuing barrage of melodic percussion. Otherwise, it too might have suffered from a streak of familiarity that would hardly compel any further listening.

All told, though, it's not a bad mutation. Zemial has always grasped back into the depths of extreme metal's past for their inspiration, and even though this is not so glorious or keyboard laden as In Monumentum or their debut EP Sleeping Under Tartarus, it rocks just enough to maintain the attention span. Too bad that there wasn't just...'more' of it, and thus I Am the Dark becomes another collector piece more than something most will turn to in need of their Greek black fix. But it's nice that Archon Vorskaath cares enough about this band to keep updating it from time to time, even with such a short amount of output.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10] (you think you'll stop me?)

http://www.myspace.com/zemial

Zemial - In Monumentum (2006)

Despite the fact that it took a decade to manifest, I did not initially warm to the Zemial sophomore In Monumentum. Its epic, plodding pace seemed somehow vapid and discontented, and its style was a clear deviation from much of what the band had created in the past, honing in on a mesh of simplistic black and heavy metal that felt like a midway point between Bathory (Hammerheart, Twilight of the Gods) and something like Manowar. However, we all make a few mistakes in our time, and I couldn't be happier that this was one of mine. It's hardly a cult classic for all the ages, but through the years I've come to actually appreciate this record: consistent and dynamic as it gently thunders through its historical lyrical concepts.

For such a simple set of compositions, they put a lot into this. Archon Vorskaath's vocals are a crumbling, decrepit specter of loss and fell glories, and the guitars trod along with the same assured bombast you'd expect of mid-era Bathory, later Immortal/Demonaz, or perhaps even a little tint of Tiamat (Clouds) and Therion (Lepaca Kliffoth, Theli). A good dose of airy reverb to make the material seem even more grandiose, and liberal use of synthesizers and acoustic guitars that give it that almost 'Viking' flair. However, lyrically Zemial delves into its own country's past, with tributes to the 300/Battle of Thermophylae ("H TAN Η ΕΠΙ ΤΑΣ") and the battle of Gods and Titans so fundamental to Greek mythology ("March of the Giants").

The entirely of the experience is well structured, from the slower, steadied material ("For a Fallen One") to the more upbeat aggression ("Riddle"), even allowing the listener a breather with the glistening acoustic instrumental "Remembering Those Lost". Each melody and synthesizer is well bred to accompany its minimal rhythmic substrate, and there's also a good variation to the track lengths which never crosses the threshold of tedium, even in the nearly 8-minute finale "In Monumentum/Stone of the Ages". The production is polished without feeling overburdened by its glorious epicenter of atmosphere, and the lyrics are about what you'd expect. In terms of a comparison to For the Glory of UR, it succeeds for wholly different reasons. That was more of a traditional black metal effort, while this is more for the pagan/epic sect. Not the first album of its type that I'd immediately break out for a fix of barbarous antiquity, but where I might have given this an average grade upon first exposure, it's gradually grown upon me.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10] (hold the ground and fight, we'll meet in Hades by tonight!)

http://www.myspace.com/zemial

Zemial & Kawir - Daimon EP (2003)

ΔΑΙΜΩΝ (retitled 'Daimon') is another of those split records meant more for its rarity and value to collectors than listeners, pairing up two of the more primal acts of the Athens underground who had in general maintained an incestuous relationship (members of Zemial appearing on Kawir releases, etc.) I'd say that the match is pretty natural, not only from the bands' friendship, but from a stylistic standpoint. While Kawir had been notably more pagan in their approach, Zemial was also a band who incorporated elements of atmosphere through their works, first with keyboards on Sleeping Under Tartarus but later writing up even a tribal instrumental piece for their Face of the Conqueror EP.

Unfortunately, while both bands bring their interpretation of a 'Daimon' track, that's all you will find here. Not even eight minutes of content. Zemial's 'Daimon (Morpheus)' is identical to the track on Face of the Conqueror, only marginally rougher and 'blacker' in its production here, but the same savage speed metal slathered in rasped, hostile vocals that you'd expect from them. As expected, the Kawir addition is more moody and atmospheric, granted a truly grimy guitar tone and very faint, crashing drums that make it sound more crushing and oppressive than their various albums and EPs to this point. The riffs are more or less a variation on the Zemial tune, and in truth both sound familiar and predictable to anyone who has been listening to black metal since the first wave and all the underground acts that have followed suit, but Kawir inserts a few segues of chanting, laughter and ominous ambiance that break up the meat of the guitars.

Again, this was released as a collectible 7", with about 1000 copies, so the intention was never to manifest anything other than an obscure product for their diehard audience. The musical content is not really of huge concern here, which is appropriate, since it's admittedly nothing special. Add to that the fact that the Zemial track sounds better elsewhere, and just about every possible compulsion to attain this is swept clear beneath the Parthenon into the waters of the Lethe. Both acts are better experienced elsewhere in their respective catalogs.

Verdict: Fail [3.75/10]

http://www.myspace.com/zemial
http://www.myspace.com/kawir

Zemial - Face of the Conqueror EP (2003)

Face of the Conqueror was the first 'official' release of Zemial within 7 years of their full-length debut For the Glory of UR, so it makes a bit of sense that their sound had changed. However, the difference is not considerable, the Greeks have merely cleaned up the dirty and stock black metal aesthetics to incorporate some truer heavy metal and speed metal riffing with the same resonant, black snarl. Face of the Conqueror is rather fun as a result, never mindblowing, but pure in intention and well enough delivered that I admit I like the new tracks more so than anything they'd come out with before, and also considerably more than their other band, Agatus, which too had tidied up for its sophomore Weaving the Fates.

The best of the newer tunes strike early, with the mid-paced rocking of the title track, sort of a straight 80s epic/heavy metal piece circa Cirith Ungol or Manilla Road with black metal vocals and an acceleration into crisp speed/thrash. It's almost like a precursor to Darkthrone's evolution from 2006-2010, if not as memorable. "Impending Doom" follows with another, similar fast riff and some curling leads through the bridge. I enjoyed the bloodied, atmospheric vocals splattered over "Full Moon Necrophilia", but the driving riffs are a bit monotonous, while "ΔΑΙΜΩΝ (Daimon)" postulates a doom-like pandemic which is admittedly alluring. They close the core EP with a tribal/ambient piece called "Pazuzu Returns", but if you've got the band's 2006 re-issue of this CD, it also includes the Necrolatry demo from 1997, a missing chapter that picks up right where For the Glory of UR left off, a bridge between the material on that album and the more stripped down speed/heavy undertow found here.

With that material added, Face of the Conqueror almost seems like a consistent full-length, even though the demo was somewhat less produced. Songs like "Dragons Touch (The Eyes of Fire)" and "Possess by Twilight" are worth the time, so I'd certainly recommend you track down that version, if not both separately. In the end, Zemial is still not the stuff of legends, but the band's obvious love for old school black metal (Celtic Frost, Venom, Bathory) really shines here, and the EP will prove entertaining for those into their simply written, crude black/thrash like Aura Noir, older Bewitched (Sweden), and so forth, and it molds well to the barbarian and occult lyrics referencing subjects like Robert E. Howard's Conan universe. A good time here that compensates for the project's absence of many years.

Verdict: Win [7.25/10] (winds flood with delirious thoughts)

http://www.myspace.com/zemial

Zemial - For the Glory of UR (1996)

Due to their involvement in other black metal projects like the lauded Agatus, the brothers of Zemial have not exactly made a prolific show of this project. In fact, For the Glory of UR is one of only two full-length releases the band has manifest in well over 20 years of on and off existence, and even though they had struck relatively early with their Sleeping Under Tartarus EP in 1992, they sort of missed the train in the ensuing years, while peers Varathron, Rotting Christ and Necromantia were releasing their most vital albums and broaching an international appeal. Redemption would arrive to some extent with this 1996 debut, but even here the band do not exhibit the typical traits of the Greek scene, and For the Glory of UR has ultimately wallowed in obscurity.

But that's not because it's a bad record. It's simply not all that distinct when compared to what else was happening on the European map. Like Agatus, Zemial bore a predisposition towards the Northern European sound, so you can hear clear traces of Mayhem, Burzum, Bathory and Darkthrone playing out through the black metal tracks. The compositional elements to these tracks are far more simple than Agatus, with a predictable and primitive flow through "The Tears That Wet Gethsemane" or "Gathering Under the Red Moon". However, what I enjoy here is the slight surge of traditional heavy/speed metal you can hear through a number of the tracks, like the fist raging "Battle on the Norse Mountains", or the ripping Bathory tones inherent to "The Scourge of the Kingdom" (taken from the EP), or the bonus track "Nocturnal Witch". Actually, if you've got the edition with the bonus tracks, they even turn in a half-decent rendition of the track "Armageddon" from the self-titled Bathory in 1984.

One distinction between this and the 1992 EP is that the use of keyboards is not so prevalent in most of the metal compositions. They've got a pretty sweet ambient intro "The Blood Unbinds the Dragon" with some cute, synthesized flutes that surge into a dark, brooding pomp, and they also appear once more through the mystique of "Apophis - The Serpent Self", but this time out they've chosen to let most of the guitars tear along without the backing support. This lends the album a little credibility for fans of the total guitar approach, even if the riffs themselves are pretty stripped down. The vocals here are also really nice, channeling a little Varg or Quorthon with the relevant drizzle of malevolence. For the Glory of UR might be your stock black metal record at the middle of the 90s, admittedly all-too-brief and basic, with no subtlety involved whatsoever, and a few redundancies (the track "Sleeping Under Tartarus" is also re-recorded here), but it still sounds sinister and sincere 15 years later.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (the heavens burn again!)

http://www.myspace.com/zemial

Zemial - Sleeping Under Tartarus EP (1992)

Like their peers Rotting Christ and Septic Flesh, Zemial were yet another of those formative Greek extremities surrounding the creative efforts of a pair of brothers: Chris and Dimitrius Kokiousis, known here as Nocturnal and Necrosauron. Yes, there was an entire necro- club happening in this scene. However, Zemial is arguably the most qualified to bear the prefix, because while comparisons could be drawn to the earlier works of Rotting Christ, this is the act most closely related to the raw, rasping sounds coming from the northern European territories, or rather, the most intimately drawn from the influences of Hellhammer, Celtic Frost, Bathory, and so forth that were prevalent during the 2nd wave's rise to prominence.

That said, Zemial were formed nearly as early on as their counterparts in Varathron and Rotting Christ, at the end of the 80s, and produced a handful of demos before getting a shot at their own 7" inauguration: Sleeping Under Tartarus. There are some passing similarities in these three tracks to those of Passage to Arcturo, in terms of tempo and composition, but the brothers focused more intently on open chords with a primal, sawing guitar tone and vocals more along the line of Quorthon than Sakis Tolis. Simple synthesizers are imbued to the simple riffing patterns in the title track, to create a haunting repetition. The drums are in general very basic, shuffled rock beats that rarely pick up in intensity outside of the occasional shift towards a mid paced acceleration, but in general they crash along as slowly as the rest of the writing.

Of the three tunes on the EP, I believe "Falling into the Absu" is the most appealing. The titular "Sleeping Under Tartarus" and raging closer "The Scourge of the Kingdom" both suffice as early examples of their genre, but "Falling..." has a more doomed sway to it, an eloquent exultation created through the severe, rasping drawl of the vocals and the guitar melodies, not to mention the drums are just more interesting through the groove and fills. When one considers just how many echoes the grueling and primitive Burzum, Hellhammer, Bathory and Darkthrone
have created down through the decades, though, Zemial seemed fairly fresh and authentic, an obscure band of grim elder statesmen who, while not particularly innovative, were well ahead of the herd that followed. Sleeping Under Tartarus is about as interesting as Passage to Arcturo: not exactly overflowing with moments of musical magnificence, but evocative of that unshakable nostalgia and vile sincerity that stalks the earlier cults within the medium.

Verdict: Win [7/10] (the blazing crown of the night)

http://www.myspace.com/zemial