Kawir - ΙΣΟΘΕΟΣ (2012)

Where many metal bands initially pursue a traditional and derivative aesthetic in their writing, and later abandon it through progression due to outside influence, Greece's Kawir might be considered an opposite. This was initially a flawed but curious band whose use of instrumentation did wonders to enact idealized visions of their homeland's ancient folklore and history. This was the stuff of glades and ruins, gods lamenting their mortal lovers, mortals lamenting their mortality. Pure myth-stuff, and it was indeed a compelling prospect. After all, the world round, we are inundated with Greek myths and legends as a part of our education (or at least we were), so it's great to hear a band finally delve into that, especially one on native soil with a more immediate and interesting perspective on the rituals and lore involved. Sure, many other bands like Virgin Steele have explored the territory in depth, but perhaps not enough among the Hellenic extreme metal scene.

Kawir continue to journey through this collective cultural atavism in terms of their lyrical inspiration and themes, even with the title, Isotheos which translates to 'godlike'. Sadly, though, the music itself has continued to transform into a more standardized form of European black metal that has few differences from the wealth of Scandinavian, German and Italian bands clinging to the compositional qualities of the masters in the 90s. To be blunt: this should not really be happening, not for a band with 20 years behind it which has had ample time to develop its roots into distinct and unforgettable schema. Alas, ΙΣΟΘΕΟΣ becomes a victim of this affliction. Despite a few moments of genuine melodic bliss which recount the charms of their earlier work, this 5th full-length is too often reliant on the basis, exhausted blueprints of the genre without advancing or exacerbating them. The faster-paced tremolo guitar progressions (chords and single note picking) are more or less what you'd hear from a thousand other bands, the harsher vocals are not highly unique unto themselves, and the drums, while competent, aren't noteworthy. It's for this reason that the album's more atmospheric passages, like the chants in "Hymn to Winds" which accompany the more glorious, Triarchy of the Lost Lovers-era Rotting Christ-like rhythm guitar, stand out instantly.

Negatives aside, though, I must give Kawir some credit on the production here. This was a band with some pretty primitive sounding recordings in their past (not necessarily to their benefit), and from the sound of ΙΣΟΘΕΟΣ, you wouldn't know it. All instruments are represented in crystal clarity, from the nice crunch on the central rhythm guitars to the slightly fuzzed backing melodies. The deeper male backing choirs truly resonate through pieces like "Hades", and Greek bands (this one and Rotting Christ, at least) excel at incorporating this into the music more than perhaps anyone else in the genre. The rhythm section is fluid, though they rarely stand out. Wind instruments still maintain a solid presence here, especially in the short instrumental "Panspermia" where they flutter through the sylvan emptiness like naiads splashing through lakes; or the grandiose, 10 minute "Hymn to Apollo", which was hands down the most impressive track for me on this record, really digging out the Kawir that I wanted to hear. I only wish that these moments were more the 'rule' than the exception.

There is also quite a lot of variety throughout this, the band carefully measuring off the faster black metal surges against acoustics, or slower chord progressions. My issue just stems from the fact that about 50% of the riffs here are too familiar and uninteresting to justify themselves among Kawir's better use of atmospheric segues. If the riffs were more memorable during the stock black metal moments, then I'd be a lot more forgiving, but I just couldn't get into much of this. I wouldn't call it boring, though, nor a 'bad' album by any means. It's on par with the last full-length (2008's Ophiolatreia), and probably worth checking out if you've an interest in Greek bands who are actually invested in their cultural roots rather than the typical Satanism you'd expect in the field. A decent effort, and smooth enough on the ears, but I'm still waiting for this group to really arm itself with the past and deliver a truly evocative Elysium that I cannot experience elsewhere.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10]

http://www.facebook.com/kawirblackmetal?v=wall

Kawir - Ophiolatreia (2008)

Long departed from the crude charms of their debut To Cavirs, Kawir had gradually developed themselves into a competent and well produced black metal band with remnant traces of their original, cheesy pagan/symphonic ingredients. That said, Ophiolatreia is probably the closest they would get to their formative years, with a wealth of slower, atmospheric sequences that contrast the raging Scandinavian elements of their sheer, symphonic black metal riffs. There are quite a few derivative, generic feeling guitars on this album that hold it back from greatness, but overall I'd say this is still a solid effort: what it lacks in overall charisma it almost makes up for in sheer muscle.

There are actually a few moments in tracks "Moirae" and "Poseidon" which have fine, layered vortexes of guitar that I wish would have occurred more often through the album. "Poseidon" is hands down one of the best songs, with an extended bridge in which the Greeks use percussive acoustic guitars and airy flutes alongside whispered vocals to create this feeling of an ancient countryside journey, perhaps through the architecture of old. They also use a lot of clean vocal chanting here and throughout many of the tracks, which feels a bit goofy in spots but certainly matches the aesthetics they are attempting to achieve here. But countering this, there are an excess number of barbaric guitar riffs which feel cyclic, predictable and repetitive to the point that they lose their luster well before the track ends ("Hephaistos", etc).

Without exception, it is the more elevating and atmospheric fraction of the album which holds it all together. The majority of the vocals are a dry and expected rasp all too common within this style, and hardly more expressive than any of a thousand peers. The lyrical themes remain firmly enveloped in Greek mythology, and yet I always had hoped Kawir would surpass their peers and release the ultimate tribute to their country's rich roots. This just isn't that, and in fact, none of their albums are, so what you're getting is essentially stock black metal with a few twists of originality, reasonable production values and not much else to thrive on. Falls a little short of its predecessor Arai.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10]

http://www.myspace.com/kawir

Kawir - Arai (2005)

With its iconic cover image of pagans and heretics gathered about in robes, masks, knives and sticks, one draws the implication that the antiquated minds behind Kawir are about to unleash a work of both naturalism and ritual in Arai. Surely, this is the most interesting of their albums to stare at, but it's also a step forward from the rather faceless, cosmic Scandinavian dust-storm the Greeks had kicked up with their sophomore Epoptia (six years earlier). The time was put to good use, and the earthen, full-bodied production of this album feels authentic and organic, without the crude snags of To Cavirs. That said, despite a few of its strengths, Arai still seems to fall short of the unwashed charms of that debut.

The writing is rather similar, with simple guitar riffs embedded into gentle, flowing compositions, with synthesizers used as proxies for the instrumentation of Hellenic myths. Several tunes like "Ode to Time" and "Typhoon Magic" are threaded with vapid, faster paced breaks with standard black metal riffing, but a number of them feature a punk or rock reduction with a mere few, uninteresting chord patterns fused into the pagan pomp. Bass performance is more of a standout here than either of the earlier albums, flowing and swerving about the lower depths of "Oneiropompos" and "Katadesmos". What's more, the grimy vocals here seem to have more of an individual character than those of Epoptia or To Cavirs, as if some decrepit hag or specter were reciting them as part of some archaic allegory or conjuration. There's a more constipated characterization than the flatline rasping one has come to expect in some of the band's prior work.

At its best, the tracks alternate between passages of metal energy and ambient rituals ("The Curse of the Old Witch"), or offer some straight up departure from the heavier content (the martial, droning choirs of "Nekydaimon"). The variation and serious execution of what often feels rather silly is reminiscent of the Czech greats Root. Taken as a whole 40 minute experience, the album offers several peaks and valleys of immersion into the ancient world whose fires they continue to kindle. In this, it reminds me of To Cavirs, and album I quite liked despite the flaws inherent in almost all of its components. Once you start to break Arai down, there is nothing all that resonant about any of its individual instruments, but for merely zoning out into times long past, or the seductive enigmas of witchery, it's fulfilling enough, just as long as one is not expecting truly memorable riff structures or compositions even bordering on any sort of complexity.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.myspace.com/kawir

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

Kawir - Epoptia (1999)

Epoptia is one of those efforts that opens with a roar, but inevitably gradates into a plateau of repetition and familiarity that steers it off course from its initial initiative. This is a far more professional and savage sound than its predecessor To Cavirs, lacking for much of the lethargic idylls and cheesy orchestration and female vocals that made the debut such a paradoxical delight. No, what you're getting here is fairly potent black metal hammering which you would have expected from any number of Scandinavian sources, only wreathed in the Greek mythology that Kawir have always remained true to, while many of their countrymen were off exploring the occult at large, or modernizing their sounds to the Gothic mainstream medium.

"Infinite Chaos" is that inaugural charge mentioned above, a straight blasting black track in the vein of Emperor, Marduk, Immortal and so forth, the spritz of Diavelgenus' vocals creating a more craven venom than the last album. I particularly enjoy the synthesizer strikes during the second riff, but the guitars beneath are rather predictable and lose their luster in short order. "Erebus" begins with a chugging, Greek gait but then accelerates into another programmed blast burst with bland guitars, only the bridge is quite a nice, atmospheric departure. The band uses further astronomical drifts throughout "Cosmic Verve", or the intro to the bloated nine minutes of "Korivantes", but not until "Zeus" (again, nine minutes) do they return to the simmering flutes and passionate glades of their debut. The bonus tracks "Keres" and "Empousa" exhibit a rawer production, hearkening back to their earlier recording, and I found myself rather enjoying their atmosphere, but then, that is not a trait lacking from any of this album.

In the end, it's the guitars that really hinder Epoptia from achieving greater substance. They feel like a mere menagerie of complacency culled from a dozen or so other bands, and they never distinguish themselves through the multiple charging rhythms. The crescendos in attention for this album almost always come in the form of the symphonic visitations, and painfully few individual riffs stand out whatsoever. Certainly Kawir is faster and more punishing than the previous album, and likewise more 'together', but the frivolous sum of its delicious and silly parts of To Cavirs were what warmed me up to it. Epoptia feels more like an assimilation into the broader, international perspective of European black metal, and while it invokes an authentic Greek astrological lyrical focus, looks and sounds good, the songs here are just not as anomalous as elsewhere in their career.

Verdict: Indifference [6.75/10] (we invoke the powers of planets)

http://www.myspace.com/kawir

Kawir - To Cavirs (1997)

To Cavirs is the first proper full-length from Greece's most pagan black metal entity Kawir, but it did not start out that way. Released the prior year as an EP, the decision was made to tack on about 4 more tracks and give it a more appropriate treatment, which is all for the better, since it stands as my single favorite album from these treacherously obscure heathens. Primitive black metal rhythms dowsed in what some might argue an excess of keyboards and other atmospheric devices, crude and lewd tones broiled in the embittered harshness of the vocals, and most importantly, a direct tribute to the Gods, heroes and fiends that many of us wish all Greek metal bands would prattle on about (as generic as the concept might seem).

Kawir tackles a lot of those obvious characters with this set of songs, including the messenger god "Hermes", the huntress "Artemis", and the tragic "Persefone". Each attempts to musically resonate with its chosen fable, though the results are mixed, and ultimately you might not be able to draw a distinction between most of them. "To Cavirs" itself is the most dominant of the tracks here, a 7 minute sprawl with a bombastic synth intro, female and male narration spread throughout a vortex of thick and thuggish hostility with incredibly simple guitar rhythms. "Nix" is pure acoustic/synthesizer with churlish and almost laughable grim vocals that sound like some necromancer about to hit puberty. "Hecates & Ianos" is a straight black charge adorned with samples of winds and a flute solo in the bridge. "Hymn to Seline" furthers the band's flirtation with flutes, narration and acoustics, supporting them with sparse but effective percussion. Ditto for "Hymn to Zeus", only drop out the voice. "Hermes" and "Daughters of Night" are two of my favorites here, leaden with similar atmospheres as the interludes, but still rocking your face off with the razor edge of the guitars.

It should be said that this is a 'whole package' deal, though. Any attempt to scrutinize or break down the components of To Cavirs might well end in disaster. The guitars aren't forceful enough to run alongside the band's contemporaries, nor are they ever intricately crafted. The flutes and keys seem the sort that you'd use in an episode of Sam Raimi's Xena or Hercules when the main characters were coming upon a hidden shrine or a peaceful village. A stereotype perhaps, of the subject matter at hand. They're cool to have in there, but never exactly all that catchy if you lift them away from the metallic ingredients. The vocals are decent, fixated somewhere between the bark of Rotting Christ and the carnal desperation of Burzum, but not the most capable of delivering the proper level of saturated torment. The production is strong enough, but the bass seems to just teeter along for the most part, never distinguishing itself. All this aside, though, the various pieces of this puzzle come together for an expression that is cheesy, charming, and quite often compelling.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/kawir

Kawir - Eumenides EP (1994)

Kawir have long been an exciting prospect for me, because of all the core Hellenic black metal outfits, it is they who best embody the traditional history and mythology of their land through the lyrical concepts they employ. Yes, others like Rotting Christ may dabble in their national past for brief spells, but they seemed to expand their subject matter to a broader, occult spectrum. With the Eumenides EP, named for the Greek deities of vengeance (aka Erinyes), Kawir introduced themselves unto the underground, the first of several sadly overlooked recordings that, while not exactly breathtaking or mindblowing, might have seen a broader appeal based on their concepts alone...

This is your pretty standard Greek black metal for the time, with clear parallels drawn towards the works of Varathron or Rotting Christ (His Majesty at the Swamp, Non Serviam). The EP poses an interesting internal contrast, for while "The Adored Cry of Olympus" swoons along with sampled flutes, eerie synthesizers, plodding bass, and sailing, sorrow-spun guitar melodies among the crushing vocal rasp; "Eumenides" itself is a faster, grandiose piece with thicker guitar lines cast in a belligerent propulsion. The band still incorporates grim keyboard atmospheres into the latter, and they're admittedly creepy, but they sound far more potent and poignant when they're raging like the great bitch Hera when she discovers her mate Zeus lying with another mortal sucker! Thus, the title track is my favorite of the two here, but that's not to say that the chill and solemn "Olympus" need be ignored, only that the two feel a little jilted in conjunction, and it might have been a better idea to run with two of the more intense tracks.

Eumenides does sound rather rough, with its fuzzier guitars and slightly uneven mix, but just about everything from Greece at the time was in the same boat, so at least they get credit for overcoming this with half-decent compositions. Unfortunately, this has got to be one of the most overlooked bands in the entire scene, and they remain so even after almost two decades of their exquisite heathendom. Where bands like Rotting Christ and Septic Flesh were thrust into the spotlight, and even Varathron and Necromantia gained a noteworthy cult following, Kawir seem to have idled in the dust. They might not have ever released anything on the level of those that I just name-dropped, but they certainly deserve some attention, for exploring not only their cultural roots, but in such an efficient hybrid of the grim and eloquent.

Verdict: Win [7/10] (rivers have turned to ice)

http://www.myspace.com/kawir

Kawir - To Uranus EP (2010)

Kawir has always been one of the more fascinating Greek black metal acts due to their exploration of native cultural themes, mysticism, and mythology, subjects I feel could really benefit a lot more European bands. Not just in Greece, mind you, but how many black metal bands would benefit from a heavier focus on folklore and myth than, say, sheer writing-on-the-wall Satanism or Anti-Christianity? I'm not trying to imply that those are bad subjects, mind you, but they do grow ever more tired as the years roll forward. And while I haven't found previous Kawir efforts like Arai or Ophiolatreia to be rapture in musical form, they were at least intriguing and atmospheric, rather well plotted and benefitted from a mix of raw black production and highly melodic instrumentation.

This new EP, To Uranus, is a mix of both old and new material. I'm actually going to start with the older content, so I'll be mixing up the order for a change. The final two tracks "Eumenides" and "Adored Cry of Olympus" are both culled from the band's rare 1994 EP Eumenides, and they still sound rather fresh, despite a little hiss to the tone. Complex and dynamic without being technically involved, "Eumenides" is a majestic and warlike track with great keys that provide a scintillating background. "Adored Cry of Olympus..." is a more solemn, sloth-like piece, guitars and harsh vocals woven over a thick bass line while the synths echo like choirs across an ancient night sky. Kawir has also included the track "Sinn (The Blazing Queen)", which is taken from their split 7" with Sigh in 1994, released through Cacophonous Records. The vocals on this are more of a hostile grunt, but it sounds quite cool alongside the raw fervor of the guitars, which often break from the expected to craft escalating dual melodies.

Some might argue that the newer material is better, and it does in fact benefit from a far denser, level production in which the guitars, vocals and keys blaze evenly across the adequate rhythm section. But I'm not so sure. I rather appreciate the charm of the early work. But the style has not changed much, as you will hear in "To Uranus", a decent lamentation with some sorrow-filled male choirs (both low and high pitched) that ring over the thick melodic riffing, and an intro of idyllic flutes. "Swords of Dardanus" is a lengthier, more savage offering, and I enjoyed the vocals. If at times you are made to think of Sakis Tolis from Rotting Christ, don't be alarmed, he is an actual guest on the recording (as is Hildr Valkyrie). "Kouretes" is another 7+ minute newer track, with some great discordant guitars that coil like serpents about a steady bass and really harsh, tortured vocals.

It was cool of Kawir to offer the old recordings along with the new, for I can only imagine how rare they must be outside of internet downloads. It serves as a nice little collection that spans the career of a band more black metal fans should probably become aware of, since they've been on the scene since the earlier 90s. An easy recommendation here for fans of early Rotting Christ, Nocternity, or Varathron, even if the band has yet to truly 'nail it'.

Verdict: Win [7.25/10]

http://www.myspace.com/kawir