Bran is a small village near Brasov, Romania. Bran is also a medieval castle that many (Bram Stoker included) have mistaken for Dracula‘s castle. But BRAN is also the name of a new black metal band which hails from the Czech Republic. And on the 31st of October AB they will release their first debut album, called “Odcházení” via the underground label Signal Rex.
“Odcházení” is a black metal journey in the land of mystery and imagination, where stories of old are told by blazing bonfires deep in the foggy forests. The story BRAN is telling over the 4 songs (or chapters) sounds like a departure from this realm, an escape from this modern and ugly world. It is an emotional soundtrack on which raw black metal meets melancholy and atmospheric passages that immerse the listener into the Central/Eastern European folklore. The tracks are varied and complex, with a lot of rhythm changes and musical lines that make them extremely enjoyable, despite their length (the shortest track, “Smuteční průvod“, lasts for “only” 7’52”). Each of these 4 complex songs, together with the simple yet very expressive album cover painted by Pavlína Kovaříková form the pillars which support and consolidate the record’s foundation.
The trio’s musical inspiration comes mainly from black metal, but all throughout the lengthy songs you can easily detect many heavy metal influences as well as some timid folk vibes. Everything has been crafted really well and works perfect like a whole, providing you with a very pleasant listening experience. The band uses its mother tongue in the lyrics and that enhances even more the authentic feeling which perfectly suits the rawness of the music.
The album opens with “Skrytá Mista” and I admit I was instantly hooked to the obsessive, repetitive riffs which last for almost a minute until the drums kick in. The track itself is haunting and despite the rhythm changes, it has a beautiful atmosphere which the band recreates throughout the whole album. If I would compare this album to other black metal releases from the past, I would immediately think of Ulver‘s early works, when they were still playing their majestic trollish metal. The 3 Czech musicians have managed to create a very fresh and enjoyable album, with so little effort. Even if it’s released in 2022, the album sounds “old” in a natural and simplistic way, and that’s what really matters.
One of the strongest points of BRAN‘s music is the duality which they built their music on: we have raw, primitive aggression on one hand and romantic musical poetry on the other. The band is clearly not afraid to express its feelings and you can hear it loud and clear throughout the album. Like a medieval alchemist, they experiment with the elements and the emotions, throwing in this musical melting pot of theirs ice cold riffs, blast beats, mid tempo passages, melancholic acoustic guitars and harsh, raspy vocals, all wrapped in mystical soundscapes (bell chimes, keyboards, bird chirpings etc.). They enhance their music with formulas meant to bewitch and keep you under their spell from start till finish, with repetitive, almost obsessive trance-like rhythms and guitar solos (“Tisíce hvězd – A thousand Stars“). If someone had any doubts that atmosphere and black metal don’t work together at all, then this album is here to prove them wrong.
The musical journey ends with the title track, which, besides being the longest song of “Odcházení” (12’10”), is also the quintessence of the entire record. Acoustic guitars open and end the track, like a hungry ouroboros devouring itself over and over again, while the furious riffing and drumming pound fiercely at your senses, building a momentum which is abruptly interrupted by some dreamy acoustic passages. Once the last chords fade away and the veil lifts, you are left in awe, ready to play the album again. “Odcházení” is without any doubt one of the best debut albums I had the pleasure to review recently and I strongly recommend keeping an eye on BRAN and their music.
BRAN – Odcházení Track list:
1. Skrytá Mista
2. Tisíce hvězd
3. Smuteční průvod
4. Odcházení
BRAN line-up:
Blackwild – vocals / guitars / keys
S. Václav Kobylák – bass
Ygraen Orlok – drums
Band Contact:
https://bran-bohemia.bandcamp.com/album/odch-zen
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