This is a demo from Akitsa, a Quebecois band playing electronic-tinged raw Black Metal.

This is certainly original work - it's somewhere between Beherit and Pink Floyd, with a touch of Black Legions just for variety. There's a lot of electronic work here, which may be a turn-off for some metal fans. Even so, the electronics are quite sick and interesting, and the metal itself is excellent.

The vocals here bear just the right amount of distortion, creating a caustic wash that drips over each song. Occasionally, some clear singing is used, to good effect. The guitar is mostly relegated to the back of the mix, though the riffs are well-chosen and raw.

My only complaint is that some of the tracks are almost too experimental, leading to a few tracks containing mostly Floydian noise. I find that the best songs here mix both metal and electronics, rather than focusing only on the experimental side of things.

Even so, every track is interesting, and this demo comes highly recommended to anyone interested in less conventional black metal.

Standout tracks: "L'eveil des Damnes", "Pouvoir Desertique", "Le Massacre des Puritains", "Desengrenage (Les Enfants de L'illusion)"

© 2002 vorfeed