Melechesh

Extreme metal and Middle Eastern melodies are logical companions (as at least two decades of metal history have proven), so it’s not surprising that Melechesh’s "Mesopotamian metal” works so well. But Emissaries is not simply a reworking of the formula the band’s had three albums to perfect. If you like your black metal raw, or atmospheric, or symphonic, don’t look for it here. Emissaries is vicious with precision and brutal with accuracy, stripped down but avalanche heavy and practically vibrant in its malice. The tone isn’t static — the short (and comparatively upbeat) "Gyroscope” interrupts the pounding momentum, as do the two instrumentals ("The Scribes of Kur” and closer "Emissaries and the Mysterium Magnum”). An ominous atmosphere of mysticism and ceremony pervades the whole work, lyrics included. It’s a delectably dark potion that’s not for the faint of heart.