Black Metal is very familiar with paganism and mysticism, and Alburnum has managed to create a very ambitious mix of the ferocity of the genre whilst adding beautiful folk elements. The intricate melodies and arrangements make this a very distinctive sounding album. Not only do they deal with pagan and mystic themes, but they manage to add a personal touch to the music in The Withered Roots of Reality. Alburnum has achieved music that will be enjoyable for fans of the Black Folk Metal genre, with an obscure sound that is their own.
Alburnum is a band that hails from Gelderland, Netherlands formed by D.B. (lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, mandolin, accordion, keyboards, percussion) and R.v.R (drums, choir vocals). Their previous album, Buitenlucht, was released by (the wonderful but now unfortunately on an infinite hiatus) Babylon Doom Records and is definitely the start of what was to come with Alburnum. The Withered Roots of Reality appears to be a more ambitious release and certainly sits proudly within the great Dutch Black Metal scene. This album was self-released and it was announced on the date of the May Day Festival. The album was mixed by W. Damien (Laster) and mastered by J.B. van der Wal (Dool).
The record has six tracks and the first one is “The Hermit Has Passed Into Another Life”: It starts with a beautiful acoustic guitar arrangement that slowly blends into a more rapid pace, with choral arrangements, increasing the fury not only when it comes to speed, but also to the vocals - while still having very melodic hooks. All I can say as a listener is: what a start!. All the instruments and vocal arrangements combine in a way that is simply amazing. The lyrics have this part that I absolutely love: “I shun the daylight and the morning air / As I hide myself from the world / the day is lost”. Now we go into “The Wheel Spins Once More”, the second track of the album. Not sure if this is the case, but the wheel spinning makes me think of the goddess Fortune and her spinning wheel, deciding on the fortune of us all. The arrangements in this song are very joyful with the start of the song being almost like a dance and the furious vocals bring stark contrast. The acoustic guitar and accordion are just brief when they join into the heavy parts before this ends. The title track starts with a very distinctive Black Metal sound, growling vocals and bleak lyrics. This is very present throughout this song, also adding choral arrangements to it. Following is “The Bones of Pilgrims” and it keeps that fast, fiery pace, while adding harmonies, melodic guitars. The fifth track “Spring Flowers Bloom In My Hollow Skull” is a very beautiful instrumental arrangement, with acoustic guitars and mandolin. To end this album, “A Veil of Darkness Upon My Ancestral Home” starts with a sample of the original tape recording of D.B.’s baptism service, adding that personal touch. The blackened riffs and the vocals break into the sample, bringing agony and fury into it. Not only is this definitely my favorite track of the album, but an amazing end to a great album.
The Withered Roots of Reality is definitely an album not to miss among this year’s releases. Alburnum has a very unique and lush Black Folk Metal sound, beautiful melodies and dynamic arrangements that blend perfectly with the more aggressive parts of this album. If you’re a fan of the genre and are looking for something different and great, this is something that needs to be on your release radar.
