PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
“Bohemia’s BRAN are a power-trio of ancient black metal might and majesty. They exhibit splendorous, spellbinding riff-sorcery so endemic to their country’s black metal idiom, but instead of hypnotizing monochromaticism, BRAN‘s epic constructions are always unfolding, always blossoming with a strict sense of narrative flow, surprising and engaging at every turn.“
Sensational words indeed, which captivated me whilst perusing the group’s Bandcamp site. The Czech Republic threesome release this, their debut (I suppose you’d have to call it) EP. But with four songs at almost 37 minutes long it’s one of those inbetweeners.
Each song is lengthy, with the first three tracks pulling in at eight minutes and the final track a staggering twelve minutes long. This EP (I’m going to call it that) oozes blackened metal that hails from the likes of Norway and Sweden and the like, but it’s apparent from the start that it’s mainly musically driven, and the story of this EP is told by the music itself. I love this type of narrative.
Opening track ‘Skrytá Mista (Hidden Places) ‘ is beautifully written in a capsulating way. A tale in itself, filled with mystic and darkness. ‘Tisíce hvězd (A Thousand Stars) ‘ is a more upbeat track but still harnesses the darkened aspect of things. You can listen to this track on the video link above. Such a beautiful ending to this song.
‘Smuteční průvod (A Funeral Procession)’ has an anthemic feel to it and is one of those tracks which sends you into another place, a dark, peaceful place as a funeral procession would do. Watch out for the vocal break. Just perfect.
The twelve minute closing anthem ‘Odcházení (Leaving) ‘ is mind blowing. It starts with a beautiful intro, reminiscent of Metallica in the ‘Master Of Puppets ‘ era, before unleashing into a more mainstream style gallop. If ever a song told a story then this is it. The time changes within this are as surprising as they are expected. Prepare yourselves for the serene, yet powerful mid-section. In fact, every twist and turn this anthem takes is just so powerful that hearing is believing. A truly superb work of art.
Track Listing:
1 – Skrytá Mista / 2 – Tisíce hvězd / 3 – Smuteční průvod / 4 – Odcházení
Links:
- £4.36 (Digital)
