CD Review: Firstborn, The - Lions Among Men

Written by Colin McNamara Friday, 13 July 2012 07:37

Artist: The Firstborn
Title: Lions Among Men
Genre: Avant-garde Black Metal
Release Date: 5th March 2012
Label: Rastilho Records

Album Review

The fourth effort by Portugal based Black Metal effort THE FIRSTBORN consolidates and expands on their previous work while retaining their rather epic status. Breaking down to only seven tracks, the challenge lies within keeping each one- over six minutes long- as entertaining as possible rather than being just a lengthy, bland atmospheric mess. Sure, the group could do what DEATHSPELL OMEGA did on their ‘Kenose’ EP and create a jarring, stop n’ go collection that was chaotic, haunting, and overall just something fantastic, but they chose not to probably because so many other Avant-garde Black Metal bands have followed the same path. Instead, THE FIRSTBORN take a sort of Eastern approach with the way they construct their riffs on tracks like ‘Without As Within’ and ‘Sounds Liberated As Mantra’. It’s not quite like MELECHESH or NILE- two other heavily charge Eastern based Metal bands- but FIRSTBORN hold their own to be considered at this point a culturally charged group solely for this effort, especially with the way ‘Sounds…’ is constructed instrumentally. For the most part though, many of the tracks here are mid paced and driving with thick, almost sludgy chugs amongst harsh vocals; it’s almost hard to see the typical Black Metal influences here because there is a strong lack of tremolo picking with razor sharp defiance and the high pitched shrieks that so many know so well. This might even be considered Post Metal.

One thing THE FIRSTBORN does very well is vary up their style track by track. Some like ‘Lions Among Men’ are just pounding over and over again with the guitars. Others like ‘Without As Within’ feature some clean vocals- a rarity for the band but a nice touch- and ‘Wantless’ includes some chanting for atmosphere. ‘Vajra Eyes’ just crawls along in its own way with little room for melody save for the solos near the end, and ‘Eight Flashes Lances’ includes quite a bit of rhythm that could consider a bit of a merge into the Black n’ Roll genre. Overall, this collection of music will continue to appeal to those who followed THE FIRSTBORN this far, and definitely hook those who are interested in culturally charged or oriental tinged Black Metal similar to MELECHESH, but not as thrashy. While the band still has yet to top the epic present on their 2005 effort ‘The Unclenching Of Fists,’ ‘Lions Among Men’ is a whole new level for the group to embark on with its crushing tones and yet upbeat pace so it doesn’t feel like Funeral or Atmospheric Doom, but at the same time it is not the jarring Black Metal that puts too much emphasis on the progressive parts similar to DODHEIMSGARD. It’s just direct and innovative.


Tracklist

01. Lions Among Men - 8:48
02. Without as Within - 9:13
03. Wantless - 6:01
04. Vajra Eyes - 7:22
05. Eight Flashes Lances - 7:08
06. Nothing Attained, Nothing Spoken - 8:53
07. Sounds Liberated as Mantra - 7:19


Line-up

Helder Malícia- bass
Bruno Fernandes- vocals
Miguel Santos- guitars
Nuno Gervásio- guitars
Rolando Barros- drums


Website

http://www.lionsamongmen.net/ / https://www.facebook.com/TheFirstbornOfficial


Cover Picture




Rating

Music: 9
Sound: 8
Total: 8.5 / 10