Review Summary: Excellent symphoblack nostalgia from the land of the rising sun
Japan has got an impressive black metal heritage indeed, having fostered bands like Sabbat, Sigh, Funeral Rites, Magane and Kadenzza. While most Japanese black metal has a distinctive and personal sound, none share closer ties with the 90’s Scandinavian black metal scene than Juno Bloodlust showcase with this debut album. The non-triggered recording brings forth an atmosphere rarely re-created successfully since the actual 90’s, but this Japanese/Italian duo pulls it of convincingly. The recording does reek of homemade brew, however, which is the only thing stopping Juno Bloodlust from getting top score. I don’t mind a retro necro sounding production every now and then, but unfortunately I get the same feeling from this sound as I do from too compressed mp3 audio files. Usually this would result in me retracting more than half a score point, but when everything is as pristine as it is here I can’t help but love every second of this album. The compositions, the orchestration, the instrumentation and the melodies are all exceptionally sophisticated and engaging, making this one of the best symphonic black metal albums I have heard in years (perhaps with the exception of Carach Angren’s albums).
Strangely enough, though there is an unmistakable Scandinavian feel to the album, the two bands I most often think of when listening to “The Lord of Obsession” is Britain’s Cradle of Filth (anno “Cruelty and the Beast”) and the French black metal provocateurs in Anorexia Nervosa (anno “New Obscurantis Order”). The album opener “Moonlight” kicks off with fairly standard black metal orchestration, but before long the riffs and rhythm of the song moves into Cradle territory with super tight drumming, melodic tremolo guitar leads and haunting horror-inspired orchestration. The vocal is equally theatrical, though the nerve in Juno’s voice brings the early albums of Emperor to mind rather than Dani Filth’s idiosyncratic shriek and growl approach. Great as the opening track is with its climactic buildup and progressive passages, it is somehow outdone by the second track – “Total Eclipse, Sinister Prophet”. This is perhaps the album’s most definitive highlight. Rarely have I heard a more perfect symbiosis of sinister black metal and epic orchestration. The atmosphere is close to the perfection displayed in my favorite Anorexia Nervosa moment – “Chátiment de la Rose”. After only two songs it is evident that Juno Bloodlust is a black metal monster of epic proportions. This being the band’s debut one can’t help but think what can become of them if their potential is brought to the next level.
The rest of the album follows suit and spits out one black metal gem after the other. While parallels to various black metal acts can be traced throughout the album, Juno Bloodlust never fails to put their own characteristic stamp of quality on each and every song. “The Forest of Despair” for instance, where the band dives into Emperor-like territories, or “Justice is Dead”, which brings Dimmu Borgir’s “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” to mind, might invoke a strong sense of familiarity, but the compositions never stoop to the level of plagiarism. Symphonic extreme metal has grown terribly predictable over the last decade, and even though Juno Bloodlust does not possess the innovative grandeur of bands like Carach Angren, Septic Flesh or Fleshgod Apocalypse, they do deliver their symphoblack with the same authority and naiveté as Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth and Emperor did in their early stages.
That “The Lord of Obsession” is the work of only two black metal enthusiasts is baffling. The final product certainly appears to be hiding an experienced ensemble behind the somewhat unrefined production. I have lived with this album for about a year now and I still have a new favorite track each week I put it on. The above mentioned songs have provided continuous eargasms so far, but recently the two closing tracks have also risen to the forefront of my favorite list. “In this Coffin of Immortelles” with its male choir, great dynamic range and blast beat intensity is a steadily growing earworm, while the final track – “Black as a Crow” – ends the album with another Dimmu Borgir-like onslaught. I truly cannot praise this debut enough, and I can’t wait to hear what’s next in store for Juno Bloodlust. If there is any justice left to be found in the music industry some large record company will pick up these guys soon, which in turn should lead to this album’s international release (and perhaps an updated production to come with it). “The Lord of Obsession” is highly recommended to anyone who miss the 90s symphonic black metal scene, and especially to fans of Anorexia Nervosa, Emperor or Cradle of Filth.
Recommended Tracks
- Moonlight
- Total Eclipse, Sinister Prophet
- The Forest of Despair
- In this Coffin of Immortelles
Pros
- Perfect symbiosis of black metal and orchestration
- Captivating song structures and arrangements
- Great variety and dynamics
- Has a distinctive personal character
- Pays homage to classics without resorting to rip-off
- High replay value
Cons
- Production is substandard
- The lyrics are somewhat nonsensical
