Dutch black metallers Israthoum were previously known as Geryous and Grendel, but they’ve made a small name for themselves as Israthoum. With four albums–the latest of which is Arrows from Below (New Era Productions)–under their respective bullet belts, the trio, featuring Tiúval (drums), W.uR (guitars), and VxInfr (vocals/bass), have prepared long and hard in the shadows for their breakout moment, which is, of course, new album, Arrows from Below. With similarities to the old-school version of Gehenna, the prog black of Code, and the ambient black of Paysage d’Hiver, Israthoum are the newest kings of atmospheric black.
“‘Laetetur Cor’ is one of our most blasphemous lyrics to date,” states Tiúval. “It is also the first time I chose to write in Portuguese tongue and I believe these two aspects are strongly correlated. I think it is not easy to make the Portuguese language sound good in black metal (just like with the other Roman languages and Dutch actually). I rarely like it when other bands do so. But now the precedent has been set in Israthoum, so maybe next time we’ll curse you all in Dutch!”
Whether it’s in Portuguese, Dutch, or fucking Kaixana, Israthoum’s nocturnal majesty will sway and provoke. Prepare to be journeyed…
