(written by Islander)
For a change, let’s cut to the chase and then come back and fill in some additional details.
What you’re about to experience in this premiere, as the Danish band Lotan accurately say about their new album Yetzer Hara, is sound as a weapon, ruthlessly wielded to express both fury and crushing dismay over the pathetic failures of humankind. Continue reading »
The Danish melodic black metal band Lotan, whose lineup shares members with Vanir, got off to an excellent start in 2021 with a pair of EPs, and we happily premiered songs from both of those. Now they have a debut self-titled album on the way, and in early December of last year and then again in January, they released two singles from the album, both of them with lyric videos. Today we present a third one, which will be released as a single this coming Friday, and it only confirms the album’s harrowing and haunting power.
The first of the singles, “Ignis“, blazes in daunting grandeur yet feels forlorn and even anguished. The vocals are scorching, the drums bring the thunder, and the song manages to dig its talons under the skin despite how emotionally unsettling it is. There’s also a moody and mysterious digression near the middle that adds to the song’s allure. Continue reading »
Tulus – photo by Morten Syreng
Well I slept late again today. But unlike yesterday it wasn’t really a luxury this time. Did some partying last night and didn’t succumb to sleep until after midnight, so the sleeping late was just an effort to be barely functional today, with not a lot of hours of rest to show for it. The day is now pretty far along, and there are NFL playoff games rapidly approaching, so I’ll have to cut back on some of my own words here and there (I can hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth).
Prepare for a very twisty and turny trip that sometimes stretches the limits of this column’s usual focus in unusual ways.
TULUS (Norway)
From 1993 through 1999 this Norwegian group released three demos and three full-length albums, after which Tulus became dormant. Two of its members (Sarke and Blodstrup) went on to form Khold and recorded six albums under that name from 2001 through 2014 (the last of which in that period was Til endes).
When Khold temporarily went on hold in 2006, Sarke and Blodstrup revived Tulus and released Biography Obscene in 2007, as well as Olm og bitter in 2012, even after Khold itself had been resurrected. They were joined in both Khold and Tulus by bassist Crowbel. Continue reading »
The biblical sea monster Leviathan was pre-figured by the serpent creature Lotan in the Ugaritic cycle of stories about the Canaanite god Ba’al. Lotan is also the name chosen by a new-ish Danish black metal band, whose debut EP Nihil Sacrum was released in January of this year and whose second one, Angelus Pestis, is now set for release on September 3rd by UPRISING! Records.
Lotan may be relatively new to the scene, but its two members are not. Both guitarist/bassist Phillip Kaaber and vocalist Martin Rubini are also bandmates in Vanir (and they are joined in Lotan by live members Lasse Guldbæk (Abscission, Vanir), Christian Haystack (Fall of Pantheon), and Jon Schmidt (Northfall).
Lotan draw their lyrical inspiration from both satanic spiritualism and existential philosophy, and in their music they follow in the path of such bands as Marduk, Taake, and Satyricon.
Last fall we had the pleasure of premiering a song from the band’s first EP, and now we present a lyric video for a track from the new one — a song named “Interitus“. Continue reading »
The biblical sea monster Leviathan was pre-figured by the serpent creature Lotan in the Ugaritic cycle of stories about the Canaanite god Ba’al, and Lotan is also the name chosen by a new Danish black metal band. Lotan may be new to the scene, but its two members are not — both guitarist/bassist Phillip Kaaber and vocalist Martin Rubini are also bandmates in Vanir (and they are joined in Lotan by session members from Ethereal Kingdoms, Fall Of Pantheon, and Abscission).
Lotan draw their inspiration from both satanic spiritualism and existential philosophy, with a credo framed as follows: “The concept that we as individuals have a true form, a true purpose, or a true meaning dictated by deities or any truth Sayers being divine or political is ridiculous. To become the dragon, we must first break all chains of gods and men and revolt against the cosmic order. To be free one must truly live, and to do that, no god or man can be the subject of our destiny other than ourselves. Kill your masters – kill your god.”
Musically, Lotan have drawn upon traditions of Scandinavian melodic black metal that bring to mind such bands as Marduk, Taake, and Satyricon, but Rotting Christ will likely come to mind as well. The first sign of their creativity is a single named “Acta Non Verba” that will be released tomorrow — November 3rd — by the new label Uprising! Records. It is that song that we now present to you today. Continue reading »