Ludicra

Once again, with a swoop of blackened fingernails, raspy vocals and iron intent, Ludicra demolish with intricate fury and explosive bitterness. Bleak and desolate while still strangely beautiful, this latest full-length may have been bred in the beauty of California, but its sinister essence, grandiose attack and overall sense of cryptic corruption prove that even sunshine and warm days can be Hell to someone. Crafting their songs into orchestral pieces, the band's modus operandi feels very similar to that of Opeth, yet due to a far deeper connection with the original guard of Norwegian black metal, there's no way this group of pagans could ever be led into thinking sissy bouts of serenity could be useful for anything other than setting up the next blast beat. Naturally, some points (generally the noted hyper paces) can sometimes feel a bit thin in attack, but it's ferocious enough to cause exhilaration, yet never so over-the-top as to lose track of ensuring the song, not the atmosphere, is the focal point. The Tenant is a mystical, creepy and almost operatic effort.