777 - SECT(S)

'777 - Sect(s)' - Blut Aus Nord (8/10)

There's no questioning the matter that French black metal trio Blut Aus Nord are quite an ambitious act. From the primitive sounds of black metal, the band has crafted a sound through dark experimentation that they can largely call their own; taking a hint from both industrial and neoclassical styles. In lieu of the band's great ambition and motivation to get music out, 2011 will see the tentative release of three Blut Aus Nord albums, the first of which being '777 - Sect(s)'. Although there is little known to the public about this '777' trilogy thus far, 'Sects' opens this musical series on a very promising note.

As is quite typical for black metal, the sound on '777 - Sects' is very dark. This sense and feeling of darkness ranges from the melancholic, to downright malefic, as Blut Aus Nord takes their music through a variety of dynamic changes and shifts in tone. Sharing a core black metal sound with fellow French compatriots Deathspell Omega, the band here makes the heavier black metal aspect of their sound incredibly technical at times, reliant on rapidfire bursts of dissonance. However, what sets Blut Aus Nord apart is their lengthy pursuits into long, minimalistic and dirgesque passages. For longer periods than some black metal fans may be comfortable with, Blut Aus Nord will take the heaviness and speed down a notch to something that could even be considered 'mellow' by black metal standards, although the overbearing sense of darkness runs deep. If Blut Aus Nord knows anything, they know how to keep an intense feeling going throughout an entire piece, regardless of the changes in dynamic.

Although the band seems to have mastered their post-metal leanings with the success of these extended instrumental passages in mind, the heavier moments can sometimes feel a little overcooked, being incredibly visceral and impressive, but simultaneously leaving the listener with somewhat less to grab onto than what would have been perfect for this. That being said, 'Sects' has a technicality to it that is incredibly rare for a genre of music not well regarded for the finer aspects of musicianship. Even in the less complex moments of the music, the band's attention to particular guitar tones is masterful, and showcases the composition in the darkly aesthetic way they were intended to.

Although the year has already seen some great black metal records come out, 'Sects' manages to compete with the best of them, and while not all of the musical ideas here seek to capture the imagination, Blut Aus Nord concocts a work that both stands as a brilliant work of avant-garde black metal, as well as a promising overture to forthcoming albums by this band.

For a band as established and well-known as Blut Aus Nord, it may come a bit surprising to some that they're still consistently releasing new material and expanding upon their unique black metal sound with each succeeding effort. 777 - Sect(s) is their eighth full-length studio album, and their first in an upcoming three-part series. Though there is currently little information about the following two albums, the current due dates are in September and November of 2011. 777 - Sect(s) is a promising beginning to the trilogy, and sets high expectations for the future works of Blut Aus Nord. Though I wouldn't venture to say that this is a perfect album, it's a chilling work of art that may be the band's finest output as of yet.

Blut Aus Nord is known for playing twisted and cacophonous experimental black metal, so in that regard not much has changed since 2001's The Mystical Beast of Rebellion. There are still plenty of dissonant riffs and atonal countermelodies that play a major part in the music here. A few more melodic influences have snuck in here, though - there are a few emotional leads that set up some excellent contrast to the chaotic majority of the album. A few atmospheric keyboard sections and industrial influences are also scattered throughout 777 - Sect(s). The production took a little bit of time for me to warm up to - the drums sound a bit 'triggered' and the guitar often dominates the mix, but I've grown to enjoy the sound more after repeated spins.

777 - Sect(s) isn't a breathtaking masterpiece in my opinion, but it's an adventurous and (more often than not) extremely successful effort. I'm looking forward for what Blut Aus Nord has in the works next; I can see the rest of this trilogy really exceeding my expectations. If you like your black metal with atonality and dissonance, but still enjoy a nice melody every now and again, this is one to surely check out. 3.5 stars are well deserved.