It should be obvious to everyone and their grandma by now that out of all the sprawling branches of the Metal tree, Black Metal is the one that’s nearest and dearest to my evil, shrivelled heart. It’s been like that ever since I was first exposed to it way back in the mists of time — when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth, beer was cheaper, and my hairline hadn’t retreated like a raging forest fire racing to the back of my head. Ah, the glory days.
I fucking love Black Metal. All of it. Raw, atmospheric, depressive, symphonic, post-, melodic — hell, even the weird experimental shit that sounds like a washing machine being tortured in a cave.
The only exception — and I’ll say this until I’m blue in the face — is Nazi Black Metal. That garbage and those ass clowns behind it can fuck off and die.
Because of that deep love, I’ll be the first to admit I’m an absolute bastard when it comes to reviewing Black Metal albums. I hold them to a higher standard than anything else. You want to carry the torch of black metal? You’d better prove you’re worthy. I don’t hand out free passes. That means a lot of albums end up getting the “Yeah, it’s pretty good, but it didn’t grab me by the bollocks and squeeze until my eyes popped out of my head” treatment.
Harsh? Maybe. But if you’re trying to stake a claim in black metal, you should be aiming to blow me the fuck away.
Which brings us neatly to Draco Dynasties by Rites to Sedition. A Symphonic Melodic Black Metal record that — against the odds — actually did smack me in the face hard enough to make me sit up and pay attention. And that, my friends, is no small feat.
Now, Symphonic Black Metal is a tricky bastard. On the one hand, you’ve got the grandiosity, the scope, the cinematic edge that can elevate a record into something truly epic. On the other, you’ve got the constant danger of descending into cheese. Too much polish, too much pomp, and suddenly you’re not summoning the abyss anymore — you’re soundtracking a knock-off Lord of the Rings porno. Thankfully, Rites to Sedition avoid that pitfall.
Draco Dynasties is big, bold, and symphonic as hell, but it keeps enough grit and aggression in the mix to stop things from tipping over into farce. The riffs hit in all the right places – and considering that nearly each song is a marathon more than a sprint, rhat’s not an easy feat too achieve – the drumming is relentless, and the symphonic elements actually feel like they belong — not just stitched on for the sake of “epicness.” When it all comes together, the effect is pretty fucking glorious.
You get the sense that these guys aren’t just trying to mimic the greats; they’re carving their own little niche within the Symphonic Black Metal World.
Rites to Sedition have delivered an album that’s ambitious, powerful, and, crucially, fucking fun to listen to. If you like your Black Metal with a bit of grandeur and a symphonic edge, Draco Dynasties will scratch that itch nicely. It didn’t quite blow my head clean off, but it came closer than most. They managed to put something on the table that genuinely impressed me, even if it didn’t quite ascend to the pantheon of the truly great.
So if you’re a fan of Symphonic Black Metal, give Draco Dynasties a spin. You’ll find a lot to enjoy here — and maybe, just maybe, you’ll find it squeezes your bollocks as hard as it squeezed mine.
Draco Dynasties is out now.
CHOICE CUT: Generations of Ea
RATING: 3 OUT OF 5
RATING SYSTEM:
- 0: Fucking Shit
- 1: Shit
- 2: Not Bad Shit
- 3: Pretty Good Shit
- 4: Amazing Fucking Shit
- 5: The Best Shit You Will Ever Hear
PRESS SOURCE: Cátia C./Against PR.
