OTHERS
Our Hearts Turn Black
Independent
Where Others’ single Heart Of Darkness (Tales Of Dracula) was captivating classically tinged gothic music, Our Hearts Turn Black is the uncompromising black metal you’d expect to come from Europe and Asia. When I began streaming this I expected to hear something like the aforementioned single but this was a more than pleasant surprise. I must clarify that Others is not a black metal band; rather they have made a tribute to black metal specifically for this album. What is unique about this band is they seek to make each release different from the last. Alternating between goth, punk and black metal, they create varying atmospheres on every new release. Our Hearts Turn Black is not all nihilism and misanthropy; Marquis DeBlood’s theatrical side reveals itself more than once. The intro Incantation (with a guest appearance by Les Hernandez), with a haunting soliloquy by Mistress Jessica as The Priestess, leads into the instrumental A Coming Storm, in turn followed by Immaculate Deception. The arrangement of these cuts makes for an inventive start that reaches poetic heights. The lyrics of Troy Usher do as much theatrically for this album as the music composed by DeBlood, and like many black metal albums of similar ilk, the collection of songs with all their components plays like a horror classic from the 50s to 70s era. At times I was reminded of Cradle Of Filth, other times I was reminded of Dark Funeral (Secrets Of The Black Arts era), still other times I was reminded of Charmand Grimloch’s Tartaros. The point is there is too much going on here for this recording to be pigeonholed into one category. And this is usually makes for worthwhile albums of any genre. -Dave Wolff
Our Hearts Turn Black
Independent
Where Others’ single Heart Of Darkness (Tales Of Dracula) was captivating classically tinged gothic music, Our Hearts Turn Black is the uncompromising black metal you’d expect to come from Europe and Asia. When I began streaming this I expected to hear something like the aforementioned single but this was a more than pleasant surprise. I must clarify that Others is not a black metal band; rather they have made a tribute to black metal specifically for this album. What is unique about this band is they seek to make each release different from the last. Alternating between goth, punk and black metal, they create varying atmospheres on every new release. Our Hearts Turn Black is not all nihilism and misanthropy; Marquis DeBlood’s theatrical side reveals itself more than once. The intro Incantation (with a guest appearance by Les Hernandez), with a haunting soliloquy by Mistress Jessica as The Priestess, leads into the instrumental A Coming Storm, in turn followed by Immaculate Deception. The arrangement of these cuts makes for an inventive start that reaches poetic heights. The lyrics of Troy Usher do as much theatrically for this album as the music composed by DeBlood, and like many black metal albums of similar ilk, the collection of songs with all their components plays like a horror classic from the 50s to 70s era. At times I was reminded of Cradle Of Filth, other times I was reminded of Dark Funeral (Secrets Of The Black Arts era), still other times I was reminded of Charmand Grimloch’s Tartaros. The point is there is too much going on here for this recording to be pigeonholed into one category. And this is usually makes for worthwhile albums of any genre. -Dave Wolff