Rakoth
Planeshift
Earache / Elitist
Weird stuff. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to be threatened, enchanted, mystified… I’m just pretty much confused. Rakoth is a Russian black metal band that brandishes flutes, medieval melodies, and other things that would make Dungeons & Dragons fans squeal with ecstasy!
Strangely enough, this is a re-release, Planeshift having first been released on a very small foreign label, back in 1999. The thing is, though, that Rakoth’s music is relatively timeless, given its peculiar nature. The guitars are crisp and evil, very buzzsaw-ish, the drums are tiny and distant, and, of course, the bass guitar is non-existent. The vocals are actually the best facet of this album, very aggressive and convincing growls and screams that made me believe in what they’re trying to do here.
At the very least, I can say quite honestly that Rakoth are incredibly unique. I can’t say, however, that I enjoyed Planeshift; I just couldn’t get past the annoying flute! Let’s say you’re a metalhead, and you’re open to experimentation in metal; you should give this one a try! I firmly believe every metal fan should hear this at least once, but as far as owning it, this is only for the most brave of metalheads!
Earache Records: http://www.earache.com