Acherontas - Vamachara

2011 finds Acherontas with new line up changes a new label and an unquenchable thirst to prove and re-invent  themsleves once more in the black metal scene while celebrating 15 years of their black art with a masterpiece of occult black metal blended with 70’s rock and ritual influences that take shape and form in ‘Vamachara’.

The record commences with ‘Opening the Eye of the Storm’ quite and ambient track and a perfect fit for an intro, as its haunting and mysterious choir-like melody combined with the whispered and spoken lyrics give a ritual feel,  a thilling aura. From that point  Acherontas blast on full time, revealing the new, more mature direction that the band has embraced. Don’t get me wrong, this is as black metal as it can get but these guys are seriously deep into the music, presenting to us an offering of great quality. ‘Blood Current Illumination’ takes you on a big journey of complicated musical passages, the riffing is traditional black metalish mixed with some long instrumental sections that add to the atmosphere of the record even more! This album is full of great guitar work, precise and technical enough, the transitions are come naturally and the riffs are heavy and dark just like the whole feel of the album. The melodic sections couldn’t have been left of in an album like that where atmosphere and ambience is of high importance, listen to the clean guitar interlude at the end of ‘Abraxas’ for example. ‘ Ohm Krim Kali’ also calms the storm for a while as its an istrumental song, with some folk influences mixed nicely with an atmospheric chant as if it’s dedicated to goddess Kali, just like the title reveals. With this release Acherontas have returned more glorious and destructive than ever before.

  Generally the album is so imposing and of epic proportions just like it should be as the band draws influence from the buried past when the female archetype was worshipped through the Cult of Vama.’ Vamachara’ is the most professional and complete release of the band thought it’s career of 15 years. Are you ready to accept this different form of darkness, you should definately be!

Standout tracks:Blood Current Illuminaton, Beyond the Mazeways  Gnosis

Also check:Glorior Belli, Erevos, Immortal

Tracklist:
1. Opening The Eye of The Storm
2. Blood Current Illumination
3. Abraxas
4. Vamachara
5. Ohm Krim Kali
6. Beyond The Mazeways To Ophidian Gnosis
7. Drakonian Womb

7,5/10  Lefteris K.