Aran Angmar – Ordo Diabolicum

Aran Angmar reads as a proper product of their time – A constellation of talented musicians from across most of Europe who came together five years ago (perhaps due to the global circumstances allowing them to take the time to do so or even allowing very little else) with what seems to have been a shared love for occultism, ancient lore and necromancy; All three themes expertly interwoven as early in their inception as their moniker, which seems to likewise being a Tolkien reference – ‘Aran’ being used for ‘King’ and ‘Angmar’ referring to the realm of the Witch-King, a notorious half-dead monstrosity himself subservient of a powerful necromancer.

Musically, the four members take pride in having taken the modern Black Metal sound and fused it with elements from each of their backgrounds; Namely, mediterranean atmospheres and nordic folk elements, courtesy of consisting of members from the Netherlands, Italy and Greece. And quite uniquely, the musicians involved seem to have been very respectful and dedicated in their venture to create the best take on the genre this blend of influences can create without letting any one aspect dominate the other – Meaning that Ordo Diabolicum feels like a proper example of what the majority of Europe as a whole has to offer, as opposed to having a more regional ‘accent’ for a lack of a better word.

Mind you, I am a self-proclaimed lover of these regional accents in my Black Metal (Polish, German and French being the top three) and despite that I immediately felt myself drawn to the record almost as soon as the first note starting vibrating through my loudspeakers. In and of itself very impressive, considering how traditional/rigid I normally am when it comes to music – And this is from only the third Full-length release from the band since their inception.

Do not miss this album if you are a fan of Rotting Christ, Dissection, Septicflesh or Mayhem – These forty-three minutes are not to be missed.

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