Astrophobos - Arcane Secrets

Release Date: September 14, 2010
Label: Band Self Released  

TRACK LISTING

1.  Divine Necromancy
2.  Arcane Secrets
3.  Crossing the Abyss

Total playing time:  16:28

November 20, 2010

Sweden once again produces some amazing black metal of very high quality in Astrophobos, whose three-track EP calls out Vinterland and Dissection respectively in hopes of capturing a long lost art called style. What we have here in a small, unassuming EP is of the strongest caliber. 

All three tracks on this EP are of superb quality with amazingly fine production. With a genre such as black metal where everything has been done tenfold and left for dead, it’s nice to see that while nothing will never be new the old can always be vital when done right. The main complaint I have is…three songs?? We need more, guys! Seriously, the style is very mid-90’s Sweden to a perfect “T” and that says something considering the aforementioned Dissection, Vinterland, and Germany’s Thulcandra are three bands that, to me, symbolize this classic Swedish sound. The epic, sweeping tremolo picking is not at all overdone or generic here; the music is, much like the predecessors of old, able to capture the dark feel and aura of what black metal is all about.

“Crossing the Abyss” is my favorite of the three, but believe me it’s very tough to pick one, so as a whole the EP is going to be one small step in a long line of strong releases for Astrophobos if the band desires to keep going. It’s a terrific EP made by three guys from, quite literally, nowhere since this appears to be the first “real” band for them. All I can say is that if this is the result of a first effort, then we should all take their blueprint and run with it. From the very opening chords of “Divine Necromancy” you know you’re in for something real, something special, and the EP of not even 20-minutes solidifies a notion that, yes, some black metal can still resonate long after Dissection called it a day. I only hope these fellows don’t follow Vinterland and put out one tremendous release, then disappear into other bands.

I can only tell you to seek this out immediately; you seriously will not be sorry you’ve managed to stumble onto something great. We definitely need more, so if you are reading this guys…help a guy out?  

Reviewer: Chris

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