Oh boy. Yet another band whose name is Legion. There are so many Lithas out there, it truly boggles the mind. On top of that, the master supreme – Andrew Black – and his one-man outfit are difficult to find online. And that spells doom for good marketing. So, what are they going to do to stand out from that notorious crowd? A difficult proposition at best. But then, what can you do, the terrible underground takes it all, right?
And yet. This new self-titled record continued to fascinate the hell out of us. But it ain’t without pain that we got here because – at first – the terrible oubliette beckoned this here ominous piece. Litha just didn’t sound right – but more to that later. And the album is indeed far away from the ambient musings Black usually engages in. A record blackened1 to a point and so full of doom, you’re suddenly looking over your shoulders to check if an undead version of My Dying Bride ain’t following your ass.
Litha‘s start is like a bitch-slap in the face. No intro, none of the accouterments other bands like to present you with. It’s just barebone despair that immediately lurches forth in a frugal setting at no moment’s notice. A somewhat nihilistic version of Atmospheric Black Metal that creeps onward on subtle tremolos and Black‘s mighty croak. In a way, I was constantly reminded of the masters of Forest Metal à la Ellende or Waldgeflüster. But done in slow-motion without the flamboyance, roaring drum work, and elaborate samples. Even the woody cover of the record with the lone figure seems to be straight on point here.
But vile riffs and often delicate and reflective melodies apart, Andrew Black‘s vocal performance really hits hard and right to the core. This is some harsh and bitter delivery roaring in on a tsunami of raw emotions. Gloomy and cruel messaging that grates forth unchecked, straight from some very dark place.
And it’s interesting, isn’t it? Towards the second half, suddenly the tune changes from mainly blackened atmospherics to some sort of disconsolate doom and slows down to funeral levels. This starts in I Am Many which surfs on a wave of silky and frail tremolos. A stellar doom piece if there ever was one. Bite the Hand kicks it up a few notches with a gritty and – at the same time – syrupy version of an emotive, tastefully blackened, and grief-stricken lament. And whereas the aforementioned tracks exude whiffs of true tribulation, Thirst immediately takes on an aura of forbidding disquiet. A hungry menace that expresses itself in straightforward riffs and a bass that’s astonishingly in your face.
Finally, Litha seems to have two souls living in its mightily passionate bosom that are competing for supremacy. One is vilest gritty Black Metal and the other is depressive doom of the first order. Both styles firmly coexist but will – at the same time – not fuse very well. A somewhat uneasy alliance that thrives on a style so understated, it could almost emerge from the Brits. But it ain’t, of course. Andrew Black hails from the state of Oregon on the beautiful West Coast of the US. And that frugal yet authentic brand of atmoblack and doom contrasts nicely with the exuberant production other bands usually present. And that’s where its strength resides.
Lastly, we recommend that you grant Litha the time and space it deserves. It will take a few turns to truly appreciate the bleak and gray soundscape that’s studded with ominously glowing hidden gems. ‘Tis a vibrant source of no-frills metal thrills for the adepts of blackened doom.
Go for it, you won’t regret it.
Record Rating: 7/10 | Label: Tartarus Records | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 17 November 2023
- No fucking pun intended.-↩