(written by Islander)
There are so many aspects of the Fell Omen song and video we’re about to premiere that are just… bonkers. But I hasten to add, they are bonkers in very good and highly entertaining ways. Let me count the ways:
There is the name of the song: “Dungeon Metal Punks Besieging Digital Castles“. There is the fact that Fell Omen‘s Greek mastermind Spider of Pnyx performs the song in a suit of medieval armor. There is this armored warrior’s use of a hurdy-gurdy to open the song, and the fact that it’s not even the most “out there” aspect of the music.
Some of you may (or may not) know something about what else Spider of Pnyx has done under other guises. You may know that the artist’s musical career has included anonymous black metal projects, dungeon synth, and martial industrial soundscapes, including collaborations on Mystras‘ records and Spectral Lore‘s latest full-length.
We’re also informed that beyond the recorded music, Spider of Pnyx “has performed live in dark ambient, neofolk, and noise settings, and has gained recognition for crafting intricate cover art under the alias Gilded Panoply for black metal and dungeon synth artists.”
But the album Invaded By a Dark Spirit that’s home to the song you’re about to hear marks the artist’s first official “metal” release under the Fell Omen moniker. On this album Spider of Pnyx does it all — performing vocals, guitars, bass, acoustic drums, drum machines, hurdy-gurdy, and synthesizers. The results are fantastical (I’ve already used “bonkers”).
In the case of “Dungeon Metal Punks Besieging Digital Castles,” the music is a wild and sinister romp, something like a hybrid between a battle charge and an exhilarating folk dance, both of them time-traveled from the Middle Ages and envisioned through the lens of a black crystal.
The layered riffing lividly throbs, throbbing in a multitude of ways, covered in a coating of fine grit. The bass-lines also vividly throb, while the drums gallop like a vigorous steed and rapidly tumble.
The song also features caustic black metal screams and an extended and ecstatic guitar solo that’s flickering and fiery in its darting and swirling ebullience. Even before that solo, the song’s exhilarating pulse is likely to get your own pulse throbbing, but that solo will light a hotter fire under it.
Here’s what Spider of Pnyx says about the video:
“When it comes to music videos, I’ve always loved the straightforward ones that capture the atmosphere and vibe of the band, blowing your head open with their riffs, and showing their demeanour and personality, rather than a short film about some story. So, we shot one of those.
“In the spirit of the DIY ethos of True Cult Records, it was directed and edited by me, with Natascha ‘Shroudweaver’ (the other co-owner of True Cult Records) providing the camera work. We’re proud of the result, especially since it’s the first one we’ve shot, and most importantly, we had a blast making it!”
True Cult Records will release Invaded By a Dark Spirit on February 14th. It was recorded and mixed by Fell Omen at True Cult Records HQ; it was mastered by Angus Schieber at Nidstang Studio; and it’s completed with fantastic cover art by Gilded Panoply and a logo by Shroudweaver.
For more info in the coming days, check the links below.
PRE-ORDER:
https://truecultrecords.bandcamp.com/
FELL OMEN:
https://fellomen.bandcamp.com/