Vanum is the creation of Kyle Morgan, and Mike Rekevics two heroes in the underground metal scene. Their vision for this project being a back to basics approach to black metal. “Ageless Fire” is their follow up to their debut album “Realm of sacrifice” and continues to follow their formula of razor sharp tremolo’s, focusing primarily on the brutality (and somehow beauty) of war.
These guys paint a magnificent picture. A town in the dead of winter, the bell of war and death tolling. Armies line an abandoned snow-stricken wasteland every man with a reason to fight, to die. Vanum eases the listener in with the opening track War, an instrumental throbbing song gearing up men to fall to their deaths. Finally, as Jaws of Rapture strikes its first furious chord all hell breaks loose. Vanum continuously layers the high pitch tremolo guitar to create a frenzied yet melodic passage. Vocals sit behind the wall of sound like a king, howling at their soldiers while they are mercilessly slaughtered.
This album provides that claustrophobic feeling of being tossed from skirmish to skirmish in battle providing very little slow passages, not allowing the listener (or fighter in this example) to breathe. As the battle (and album) rage on my favorite song Under the Banner of Death rears its bloodied head. A single hypnotizing hook comes forth along with a very nice integration of synth mixed perfectly to create a hazy atmosphere, this all comes to a screeching halt, an ending in to this so called battle. Sun begins to set; the crows begin to scavenge. Survivors crawl away from their doom, traumatized of the events witnessed. The gods above laughing as their pawns cower and beg for mercy. Wagons fill the wasteland, scraping the remains of those who fallen the blood of men feeding the fields for the oncoming season.
Label: Profound Lore
This album is indeed an ageless fire. A reflection of war, a word that unfortunately no generation will go without experiencing. Something that mankind always has to embrace. This album is furious, but the result is an absolutely stunning display of melody, and brutality that has me returning to for battle after battle. Enjoy!
