Written by: The Administrator
I'll be honest. The reveal that nature-themed black metal band Eveale is comprised of Alex Loach and Steven Wiener (in the roles of The Moth/The Monarch of the Hillside and The Newt/The North East Wizard Tyrant, respectively) wasn't a shock. Y'know, per se. Prior to said reveal, I was quite familiar with their work together, and their excellent debut two-track Lament of the Dryads / The Enemy did sound suspiciously like Alex Loach screeching vehemently over Steven Wiener's lush instrumentation. Needless to say, when the duo asked if we slumbering scribes would be interested in premiering their third track, there could only be one answer. After all, one does not refuse the churning gears of the Steve Weiner Industrial Complex. And otherwise, the promise of a (presumably) aggressive take on a classic somber Ozzy track was simply too tantalizing. And so here we are, pleased to present Eveale's cover of Ozzy Osbourne's Dreamer, which you can exclusively enjoy here at ye olde Sleeping Village for several days before official release on Dec. 5th. Purely coincidentally, today would have been Ozzy's 77th birthday, so this entire affair feels like a very apropos albeit entirely unplanned homage. Give Dreamer a listen (or two!) below, and, as always, we'll meet you on the other side!
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In a continuing attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we slumbering scribes are making an effort to publish short reviews at a greater frequency, thereby shining our very small spotlight on more cool shit. Without further ado, here's some black metal:
Written by: The Administrator
As demonstrated on more occasions than I care to admit, time moves a little differently here in the friendly confines of Ye Olde Sleeping Village. Which is to say: we are often very tardy. In the case of today's mini-review, I'm hitting publish a whole 7 days late, but better than late than never, amiright? In any case, here we are, primed and ready to discuss "Monarch," the latest single from Chicago black metal duo Nirensimt. "Monarch" kicks off in an atmospheric direction, but soon swings into significantly more visceral territory. Even in the more contemplative bits, there's a sense of movement and urgency waiting to flare up. Less "smoldering," more "combustible." I'm a particular fan of the vocals, which are sharply harsh and, during the forthright chorus, surprisingly distinguishable. While black metal often leaves the lyrical content a bit of a mystery, a level beneath the surface that requires further study, "Monarch" presents notable clarity, with the aforementioned chorus having a chanted quality that grounds the more atmospheric moments. I've previously stated that this song "rips," and after keeping it in heavy rotation for some time, I stand by that opinion. "It rips" feels like a cliche descriptor, and often is, but hear me out. "Monarch" clearly contains the elements that qualify a track for ripper status. It is energetic, and pointedly aggressive, and kinetic in a way that maintains attention without shoving it down the listener's throat. It feels expansive without feeling detached. Perhaps most importantly, I have an urge to listen to it again and again. It...rips. This is a stellar track, full stop. While I'm not sure if it serves as a harbinger of a forthcoming full project from Nirensimt, I'm a big fan of where this sound is headed--there's a sharpness and a refinement displayed on "Monarch" that bodes extremely well. Nirensimt - Monarch was released Jan. 16th, 2025. Find it here! |
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