Album Review: Ichor – The Black Raven (Seance Records)

Ichor was formed in 1993 by Wraith & Diablore the founding members of Nazxul. Only producing one demo in 1993, Ichor retired to make way for the dominant force that Nazxul became in the Australian black metal landscape. But after a mighty resurrection in 2017 Ichor moves from power to consummate strength with their new album ‘The Black Raven’.

Ichor’s The Black Raven will be released by Seance Records on September the 17th 2021 on CD format in gatefold digi-sleeve limited to 500 copies and a special cassette tape edition limited to only 50 copies.

Black metal pumped directly from the depths of hell, The Black Raven spreads pestilence everywhere it goes and Ichor are the masters of such evil.

The Black Raven’s five tracks are soul-destroying and mind-numbing bouts of darkness. Each a lesson in the destructive power of this style of music but with melodic depth that gives it a poisonous ‘post’ flavour throughout. Journey is a track that leaves a cold and hollow feeling, the near-spoken word of the vocals mixed with the methodical and drawn-out black metal melodies is to die for.

Broken Land is way more atmospheric and the darkness oozes out of it like an infectious sore but it’s the following Veles is Here that really sends shivers through the body. The sound of nightmares, the sound of ancient and dark evil whispering in your ear, the sound of sickness, horror and death.

One of the two shorter tracks; Fight, Blood, Fire, Hate switches the tempo up for something with a bit more black metal energy to it. Before The Black Raven makes one more swoop over dying lands with the title track. A finale that has emotional weight and a captivating amount of melody while being unrelenting in regards to post-driven heaviness.

Ichor – The Black Raven Full Track Listing:

1. Journey
2. Broken Land
3. Veles Is Here
4. Fight, Blood, Fire, Hate
5. Black Raven

Links

Facebook | Seance Records