(written by Islander)

As we all know, lyrics are almost always secondary or tertiary attractions in extreme metal, even when they mean the world to the lyricist, in part because they’re usually indecipherable and in part because they’re often just not very compelling. And so when the lyrics are as fascinating and gripping as they are on Everto Signum‘s new album Beastiary, they warrant special attention — which we’re giving them even before we turn to the main focus of this article — a premiere stream of all the music packed into the album by this avant-garde black metal duo from Portugal.

Here is the album’s thematic concept, as described by the Monumental Rex label, which will release Beastiary tomorrow (November 1st):

“The band stays true to their elemental background by writing an immersive story that guides the listener through a chain reaction of natural disasters. These calamities are beastialized – manifested as wild uncontrollable beasts exhibiting intrinsic animalistic shapes, traits and behaviours.

“The plot is comprised of seven chapters, each consisting of a contextual introduction that describes the scenery and sets the mood for the destruction to come, and an interpretation of the actual cataclysm.

“Written in English, the expressively poetic lyrical narrative portrays a journey from an ice-covered mountain top through a valley, down to the depths of a meromictic lake and finally into a perennial forest to witness the dreadful wrath of ancient forces.” Continue reading »