Title: Mountains and Lakes
Artist: Mirkwood
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Genre: Epic Black Metal
Year: 2013
Country: USA
Label: Self-released
When the Austrian Metal masters SUMMONING released their second album Minas Morgul, they changed the Black Metal genre forever. Their style of epic and ancient Metal mixed with heavy medieval synthesizers was something that had never been done before, and presented a much different atmosphere than other “Symphonic Black Metal” bands were capable of; a world that embodied the mystery, adventure, and darkness of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. SUMMONING set the standard for this new style of Black Metal which still to this day remains heavily unexplored.
There are however a small number of bands who create music in the vein of SUMMONING. While some bands such as the absolutely masterful CALADAN BROOD have taken the SUMMONING style and pushed it even further, others simply do a fine job carrying the torch and keeping the flame alive. MIRKWOOD is one of those bands who have not revolutionized the genre, but do an outstanding job playing this fantasy laden, adventurous form of Black Metal. Their latest EP Mountains and Lakes is a perfect example of this.
The EP begins with the synthesized instrumental, Victorious Return. Heavy brass sounds accompany simple snare drum marching patterns, creating the image of horse-mounted knights returning home from a long war. The synthesizer work on this intro is consistent with the synth on the entire demo; where other Black Metal bands use synth to create sorrowful and desolate atmospheres, MIRKWOOD create an atmosphere of journey and adventure. The second track Twilight Falls starts off with a great tremolo picked melody accompanied with synth and double bass drumming. The programmed drum sound fits this style of metal accordingly and doesn’t sound out of place, although the drumming is definitely Metal based, something which sets MIRKWOOD apart from the warlike, tribal drumming of SUMMONING. The fast riff stops and a mellow string section drives the song forward, before coming back in with distorted vocals and a riff that reminds me a lot of “Long Lost To Where No Pathway Goes”. The composition of the song is excellent, with enough variation in the drumming, synth breaks, and additional guitar effects to keep the listener engaged and interested the entire time. The last track Mountains and Lakes continues in the same style, again with powerful orchestral melodies which evoke images of vibrant mountains and deep lush lakes. The composition here is great as well, as the musicians know how to use different elements to drive the song forward using short flute breaks and tremolo sections.
Despite the short length of this EP, MIRKWOOD has created a fantastic piece of epic Black Metal. The songs take the listener on a high speed journey through the dangers and wonders of their own fantasy world, using heavy synthesizers without compromising or toning down the Metal elements in their music. Rather than creating excessively dark and depressive atmosphere, MIRKWOOD takes the listener through the dangers and perils of Middle Earth. I am very hopeful that this band will release a full length album in the future.
