Belgian black metal quartet Alkerdeel have risen from the underground after a five-year period between releases with fourth album, Slonk. Still rooted in raw black metal, the album invokes a cold feeling that shows clear influence from the genre’s second wave.
Despite the hefty lengths of the songs, Alkerdeel keep things varied and interesting—in addition to the doom and sludge influences to be found on Slonk, there’s stomp, skronk and a heaping serving of atmosphere on songs like “Zop.” The riffs throughout Slonk are aggressive and angular, even in their most atmospheric or hypnotic state.
“Although being brutal in nature, Slonk shows a different, let’s say atmospheric, side of the band. We all grew up with the sounds of Pure Black Energy, Svartalvheim, The Curse of Mankind or (He)Art of the Ages, and this shows in the music. While at the same time we dug deeper in that specific period when there wasn’t a clear distinction between black or death metal… which explain the occasional ‘ughs.'”
Listen to the new track “Eirde” below and secure a pre-order Slonk via Consouling Sounds. and Babylon Doom Cult.
