Review Summary: This is what it would sound like if Lee Dorian and Keith Richards donned corpse paint.
It seems that eastern philosophy, particularly meditative practices, is gaining a lot of traction in the west. Whether it be Sam Harris's Waking Up app, Headspace, or Calm, chances are you have seen myriad advertisements championing the various health benefits of regular meditation. Keeping the mind still and pointing the flashlight of awareness on particular bodily sensations or the breath is challenging, but the tranquility it invokes makes the effort worthwhile. A lot of black metal music seems to contain that dichotomy of struggle and ease. The white noise of blast beats and tremolo guitar riffs nearly drowns out the melodies hidden beneath that wall of sound, like life drowns out our inner peace. This is the appeal of black metal – the search for hidden melodies beneath the chaos. However, black metal is a spectrum; not every artist encourages this esoteric journey.
Tulus's seventh offering doesn't require the listener to scavenge through a wall of blistering noise to discover the band's musicality. Instead, the group flaunts their musical prowess and ear for catchy, unique rhythms throughout the record. The band routinely makes interesting choices and utilizes specific tools to enhance the listener's anticipation. The second track Lek, has the band playing with the power of intermittent silence to significant effect while the vocalist fills the gaps that the enthralling riff leaves behind. They even throw in a jazz-inspired bass lick for good measure. Lek is a good capsized summary that shows what this record promises to offer. That promise is to keep the listener constantly engaged.
The interplay between the drums and bass makes it difficult to determine which artist is the group's anchor. They play off each other in an electrifying and synchronized manner while keeping the listener at the edge of his seat. This isn't to say that guitarists/vocalist isn't provided his own respected podium to collect his flowers. If anything, the drummer and bassist excavate parts of these tracks to highlight his capabilities. The fifth track, Israk, is an excellent example of how the drummer and bassist help enhance the guitar work. At the midpoint of Israk, a substantial tempo change takes place where the band utilizes a more classic rock influence while refraining from the black n' roll sound of bands like Midnight or Kvelertak. Israk is followed up by the bass-intensive Samuelsbrenna, which is laden with a groove that quickly transitions into a delicately picked acoustic guitar with creepy organs playing in the background until the vocalist brings you back into the grips of the band's expertly crafted nightmare.
It is undeniable that the group is having fun on this record. Some of the rock and roll influence that is being invoked here is almost reminiscent of the blue-tinged rockers of Can't You Hear Me Knocking by the Stones. . . If the Stones wore corpse paint. You can see what I am talking about in the seventh track, Sejelesmerte. The band is particularly groove heavy on this track and is simultaneously tapping into the catchiness of 70s rock and Lee Dorian's Cathedral? Look, maybe I simply don’t have the tact to synthesize what is being offered here, but I can say that Fandens Kall is a smorgasbord of infectious grooves and that raw black metal atmosphere.
