The Finnish band Khanus made an attention-grabbing debut with their 2016 EP Rites of Fire (reviewed here). Less than 14 minutes long, it was nevertheless long enough to mark the band as one to watch closely. The genre-crossing music kept the tension and unease tightly coiled at almost all times, yet with a fascinating ability to hypnotize as it simultaneously put the listener’s teeth on edge. The EP was also long enough to attract the attention of I, Voidhanger Records, which reissued the EP on CD and is now preparing to release the first Khanus album.

Those who are familiar with this label’s releases know to expect something unorthodox. And Flammarion does indeed arouse the mind with otherworldly visions and an atmosphere of mysticism, while also channeling a primal, physically arresting energy. In the words of I, Voidhanger’s accurate summing-up, “Khanus‘ music oscillates between trance-inducing melodies almost bordering on hypnotic psychedelia and the primitive pulse of black/death metal, all seen through a distorting avant-garde lens that exalts the weirdness of the style without sacrificing brutality and aggressiveness”.

You’ll get a strong sense of Khanus‘ creative proclivities through the song we’re premiering today, a track named “Surrupu“, although it doesn’t provide a complete encapsulation of all the album’s textures. The sounds and moods are too varied for any one track to stand as an exclusive representation. Still, this a great lead-in to what Flammarion holds in store. Continue reading »