Style: Epic black metal with strong dungeon synth influences
Primary Emotions/Themes: A tribute to the best to ever do it
Thoughts: Behold the master, behold the blade that he forges. None can create weapons of finer quality or stature. Many have tried and many have failed. Even those who have the the direct tutelage are unable to replicate the grandeur of his art.
There are those however that pay tribute. Those who can stand in his shadow, yet still contribute mastery on their own scale... even though it be inferior to the masters work. The student named Emyn Muil is one such prodigy.
It's a bold move to start an album with a fourteen minute song... well technically it's the second song but the first song is nothing more than an intro for the album. Immediately the influences of Emyn Muil are evident, they all point to one thing: Summoning.
All of the signatures of that legendary band are here: the slow marching speed of the drums, the epic guitars that lay the foundation for the melodies, and of course - the grandiose keyboard that are the very essence of the music.
None of this is groundbreaking, but it doesn't need to be. Summoning hasn't released much in the last ten years so any thing that is competent in this style is a welcome addition to the lexicon. Not only is this competent, it is an album that I've found myself intentionally seeking out when I want black metal infused with dungeon synth.
It's not just the fact that the band has long songs though, it's that the music demands long songs to be effective. The way that the music progresses is dependent on laying down layer after layer of melodies. That takes time to do effectively. Too fast and the effect is lost, too slow and the music starts to wear out it's welcome. Emyn Muil has found that delicate balance on the knifes edge, the songs are allowed time to breathe yet they do not drag.
Some music is destined to be legendary. That is the case of the Summoning discography. Other music is meant to carry on the legacy of those legendary bands, that is the case of Emyn Muil. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and in the case of Elenlon Ancalima this holds true.
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