Band: Lux Occulta
Genre: Symphonic Black Metal (early)/Technical - Avantgarde Black Metal (late)
Discography: "Forever Alone Immortal" (1996), "Dionysos" (1997), "Major Arcana" (EP, 1998), "My Guardian Anger" (1999), "The Mother And The Enemy" (2001)
Every band, with the years and every new album, faces the decision: to evolve or to remain the same. Sometimes evolution is subtle, almost imperceptive but other times it is a 180 degrees change.
Well, my favorite black metal band took the path of change and progression without any doubt. Poland's Lux Occulta is a very interesting band, its discography is a road of evolution within the black metal field and it is a clear example of the refusal of the band to be label.
1996´s "Forever Alone Immortal" is a slow paced, profound and emotive symphonic black metal album. The songs are long and soothing, with a very obscure atmosphere and beautiful simple melodies. Calm instrumental passages are the order of the day, in contrast with the pain-filled growls.
"Dionysos" continues on the same path, but what you immediately notice is that the pace is faster, the songs are more aggressive and the keyboards are a lot more prominent. They added some angelic background vocals and the use of a flute in the song "Nocturnal Dithyramb" gives very touching melodies and a fresh feeling of innovation. The EP "Major Arcana" is a good followed up, but do not add any other elements to the recipe because it is a compilation of unpublished material from 1995 to 1997.
The bar was risen to technical heights in the awesome 1999´s "My Guardian Anger" (my all time favorite black metal album) with the incorporation to the line-up of Vogg on the guitars and Martin on the bass (now members of Decapitated). This album is simply out of this world and it immerses in a not so explore metal spectrum: technical black metal (few bands play this stuff: Extol, early Arcturus, Lunaris). All around time changes, aggressive fast playing and energy are omnipresent. The drumming is one of the best I've ever heard: complex, fast and varied. The keyboards have a very progressive feeling to them, and take the lead instead of being just background. I assure you that you'll not find a better black metal album than this one. Sure I haven't and I don't think I ever will.
In 2001´s "The Mother And The Enemy" experimentation took the band to include some electronics and just fucking weird melodies, interludes and intros, mixing another genres of music with the technical playing, the result: a great and highly original album. Just check out the trip-hop songs "Yet Another Armageddon", "Midnight Crisis" and "Breathe Out" featuring beautiful female vocals and the odd electronics in "Gambit" to get an idea of what I'm talking about.
The band has been "on hold" (whatever the fuck that means!) for several years now, and I'm just hoping they won't break up and call it quits. I guess I'll have to wait and see.
Download Lux Occulta´s discography here
Song: "The Opening of the Eleventh Sephirah" from "My Guardian Anger"
via puritiva
Passing too many gates
leaving too many graves behind
follow Jupiter's son on his way to hell
the pilgrimage of lost hopes
I kissed the bishop's poisonous ring
I was dead between the dead
White pages of your holy books
torn to pieces by my hands
the sword is too heavy
the shield far too small
Are we the tribe of kings
yet destined to fall?
via illuminativa
Silver dawn awakening
so far, far away from home
the journey starts when I open my mouth
swallowing careless words
For the truth is not far beyond the veil of stars
you won't find anything on the bottom of darkness
it's all in the serpent's lethal bite
it's in these little charming moments of thrill
and we are not who we think we are
we are who we're afraid to be
via unitiva
Addei Nam Namppa Khadu
Tah O'Khadu Hallei
Iah! Iah! Goadii Mazzu
Halle-lei Badu Zarrah
