Former NCS writer KevinP named the debut EP of the one-man Greek band Agos (the work of Van Gimot from Virus of Koch and Carrion before that) one of his “Albums of the Month” for January 2015, praising it in these words:
“This is mid-paced death metal with a blackened feel, but it’s so much more than that. Guitars have a huge sound to them, just enough grandiosity mixed with the perfect amount of filth. Vocally cavernous with reverberating hellfire (aka, a cool echo effect). It’s hard to get super-jazzed about new bands these days, but once in awhile something comes along that just screams out for attention. Hopefully this is just a small sample of what the future holds for this band.”
And here we are, almost four years after the release of that Irkalla Transcendence EP, welcoming the (glorious) return of Agos and sharing with you a song from the band’s debut album, Aonian Invocation, which will be released on October 28 by the triumvirate of Satanath Records (Russia), Deathhammer Records (Cyprus), and Heathen Tribes (Germany).
“Ancient Greek mythology prevails” in this new album, we’re told, complemented by “small fragments of eastern culture” — and exotic melodies do indeed course through “Glorious Return“, beginning with the reverberating tones of ethnic melody played on ancient instruments in the opening, accompanied by a singer’s tremulous wailing. Hints of alluring exoticism mark the song throughout, even though the power and heaviness of the song soon increase exponentially.
And it really is a heavy piece of music, with heaving undercurrents of groaning sound in the low-end and enormous booms punctuating the waves of seething tremolo guitar, which rise in perilous glory and subside into dark and ominous moods. Scalding roars and howls of vicious ecstasy magnify the music’s already substantial intensity. And the song turns out to be a serious head-mover as well, when Agos segues into a jabbing riff backed by a snapping snare rhythm and bursts of somersaulting tom drums.
The album’s cover art was created by Vamon VII, and the lyrics were written by Edmund Morton and Astrous. The album will be released in both digipak and jewel-box CD editions.
Along with “Glorious Return” we’re including streams of two previously released songs, “Mardyakhor” and “Trojan Desolation” (a free download at Bandcamp).
PRE-ORDER:
https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat208-agos-aonian-invocation-2018
http://www.deathhammerrecords.com/
http://heathentribes.bandcamp.com/
AGOS:
http://www.facebook.com/agos218
http://virusofkoch.bandcamp.com
TRACK LIST:
01. Through The Strait Of Messina
02. Mardyakhor
03. Trojan Desolation
04. Death To All False Oaths
05. Devourer Of Men
06. Where Three Roads Diverge
07. Glorious Return
Length – 43:13
5 Responses to “AN NCS PREMIERE: AGOS — “GLORIOUS RETURN””
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You guys need to check House of Atreus – From The Madness of Ixion
It’s definitely been on my radar — just haven’t made time to fully explore it yet, an omission I hope to rectify very soon.
This sounds awesome.
Great cover art. And I am intrigued by the Greek mythological part. I think it’s a mix of various cultures. For instance the ‘Glorious Return’ prolly has has Indian classical in the beginning and even the intermittent classical singing. Hindustani classical If I am guessing it right. And Madyakhor translates into Manticore in Persian and is very much an Egyptian entity.
But all the more interesting.
This is good! Although I’m intrigued by the ‘Ancient Greek’ part from the two given songs. ‘Glorious Return’ has Indian classical in the beginning with Sitar If I’m right. Sounds very Hindustani classical which is one of the two major strains in Indian classical music. The latter ‘Madyakhor’ translates into Manticore in Persian and is very much identified with the Egyptian mythology – at least in popular culture I think.
But all in all great.