Arallu - Six

Record Label: Transcending Obscurity


Most black metal leaves me cold however combine it with death metal or thrash metal in the vein of Goatwhore Behemoth or Blackfast and then you'll get my attention. Hell, combine it with rock 'n' roll like Israeli band Promiscuity did (check out the review of their EP here) and I'll not only listen to it but there's a fair chance I'll love it if it's done right.


Similar to blackened rock and roller's Promiscuity, Arallu also hail from Israel and although they are a new band to us, "Six" is, surprise, surprise, Arallu's sixth album. The band incorporate traditional Middle Eastern instruments like Saz and Darburka into their sound. In fact, the album opens with a song entitled, "Desert Moonlight Spells, which to these unknowing but curious Western ears sounds like a traditional Middle Eastern tune. After the soft tone of the opening the band inform the listener in the song "Only One Truth"and the rotten core of Arallu is black metal with death metal. What really lifts Arallu from the stench of generic metal is the use of their country's traditional instruments. There's such a hypnotic feeling to the sound, it's not difficult to imagine Lucifer hiding as a serpent in a basket lifting his head out in time to the music as these black metal charmers play their music on stage. Lovers of the death doom sound will enjoy "Possessed by the Sleep" which introduces itself with a plod and growling death metal vocals interspersed with background bursts of both the traditional instruments and the traditional black metal bumblebees with blastbeats sound in the foreground. Thankfully the vocals of Butchered don't sound like the stereotypical black metal hobgoblin but hark back to early death metal as Jeff Walker from Carcass and John Tardy from Obituary are the obvious comparisons.








There's a lean towards thrash metal in tracks like "Philosphers" and "Soulless Soldiers" without Arallu completely taking the blackened thrash route. The black metal template is still present in these tunes as are the traditional Middle Eastern instruments and both these elements come across as a natural part of character. In creating a unique sound, Arallu have managed to do what few bands have managed to do and step away from the hordes of generic metal bands.

4/5

Release Date: 22 September 2017


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