Pagan Poetry

True masters of the pagan black metal sound, Greece's Nocternity issued forth "A Fallen Unicorn" in 2004. A companion to the exquisite "Onyx" full length, A Fallen Unicorn collected outtakes from that session as well as a brilliant cover track (we will get to that later). While not as complete as the Onyx record, this release outdoes anything the band has done previous in terms of scope.

Nocternity wear their pagan heritage proudly on their shoulder plates. Adorned in full armor, pictured in the woods sitting upon an oaken throne, already, before hearing the music we feel a sense of the mysteries contained within. Although similar in feeling to other pagan acts such as Bathory, Morrigan (with whome they share membership), and Macabre Omen, their sound is unmatched in originality. Gathering mystical keyboards with fuzzed out yet raging guitar sound and high speed arrangements that break into breathtaking atmospherics, we are left with something decidedly fierce and strangely, hantingly beautiful.

Stangely fitting is their immaculately exectuted version of Bjork's Pagan Poetry. All slow motion keyboard atmospherics combined with cavernous echo and a ghostly howl. The question is are we dealing with parallel artists? or rather the adaptation of art for ones own means? Either way it is a treat, one that deserves to be shared.......

download: Pagan Poetry