DREADFUL RELIC "Archaic Conjurations" [12" LP, Black Vinyl]
2024 - Black Metal from International
Detailed Description
First Wave Black Metal is the scaffolding the band uses to construct its sound, but in both atmosphere and concept, this album represents more than mere imitation; it signifies a violent rejection of the vacuous and corrupt contemporary world. The most obvious sonic reference point for Dreadful Relic is HELLHAMMER and other progenitors of the Black Metal genre, such as SAMAEL. But Dreadful Relic eschew mimicry, instead assembling these building blocks in a manner that is novel and captivating. The skillful songwriting featured ensures that the album never falters, with each track striking a unique nerve. Intrinsic to Dreadful Relic's approach is the thematic content of the songs. Commingling a variety of mythical, fantastical, and historical ideas and images, the lyrical content and the conceptual underpinnings of the band are an essential aspect of Dreadful Relic's alchemy. Casting a gaze toward the ancient world in which gods traversed the same landscapes as their human counterparts-before the corrosive presence of monotheism reduced man to pathetic subordination and groveling to his narcissistic god-Dreadful Relic embody a sense of psychic and spiritual warfare: the ancient spirit grappling with the curse of modern existence.
