Finally. What we’ve all been waiting for: a black metal band inspired by the American Old West.
No, really! It’s pretty sweet!
The Ohio-based band Untamed Land has strode out onto the plains of modern metal, with riffs in their six shooters, ready to draw and unleash their second album, Like Creatures Seeking Their Own Forms. Sure, bands like Panopticon have mined various non-European sounds (e.g., bluegrass, Americana) and blended them with atmospheric black metal. But Untamed Land’s passion for the history and cinematic portrayals of the wide open spaces west of the Mississippi still sets them apart.
At the same time, however, they don’t layer it too thick. This is still powerful, energetic black metal. The guitar tone is absolutely fantastic, the piano lends a nice touch, and the songwriting overall is excellent. If the Old West isn’t your thing, you’ll still love this if you’re a fan of bands like Summoning, Windir, Skogen and Falkenbach. According to the band:
“Like Creatures Seeking Their Forms seeks to capture the spirit and energy of the mythical Old West by creating a dreamlike and dark sonic landscape. The album unfolds in the style of an operatic narrative and takes equal cues from Western film music and epic folk/black metal.”
The album comes out this Friday via Napalm Records.
