There is something so especially powerful and evil about symphonic elements in metal in general that I just can’t get enough of. The massive atmospheres that build such a rich and complex stories really make this genre of music truly unique. Carach Angren is one of the bands at the forefront of the movement. Only a three-piece outfit, they manage to still pull the weight of a fully stocked five piece band plus orchestration.
Now on their fifth studio album, ‘Dance and Laugh Amongst The Rotten’ is another leap in the right direction for the band. Easily their most aggressive work to date, the album is relentless all the way through. The stories are as dark and evil as you’ve come to know and love.
I generally don’t like softer, slow intros, but this one has a great creepy vibe that helps set the tone for the rest of the album. “Charlie” is a haunting and evil track that my neighbors absolutely loved. As soon as they started chanting “FUCK YOUR GOD” my neighbors passed under my open window. I was then given very rude advice from a very holy man. The chorus in this track is absolutely awesome, it actually gave me chills.
“Blood Queen” is a badass track in its own right. The story alone is captivating and makes you really listen closely to the song, pulling you in deeper and deeper. I really enjoyed the track as it was incredibly dynamic. It moves from wild speeds to a slow, creepy storytelling pace and then builds back up again. The complex songwriting really shows that these guys are still maturing in their songwriting and can still surprise us.
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There is one thing that I did catch and isn’t really an issue, but something maybe other people noticed too. On both “Charles Francis Coghlan” and “Song For The Dead” both of the choruses are the mostly just the song titles being enunciated over very dramatic music. I probably wouldn’t have caught that if the tracks weren’t back to back, but for some reason it stuck out and has been bothering me since. Regardless, both of the tracks are catchier than hell and I can’t get them out of my head to save my life. I found myself humming, “Song for the dead” over and over while I was at work today.
“In De Naam Van De Duivel” is more of your classic black metal tune. It has all the big trem picked chords and tasty blast beats that make up a solid black metal track. “Pitch Black Box” has an interesting marching cadence to it that lends itself to some wicked headbanging. The keys in this track build up the suspense really well.
The intro to “The Possession Process” reminded me a lot of Septic Flesh with the odd time blasts and chorus in the background. Being a massive Septic Flesh fan as well, this got me a little tingly. Maybe when a little of the band rubbed off on Namtar while he was filling in for them on live drums.“Three Times Thunder Strikes” is a great surprise at the end of an epic journey. It’s one of the faster tracks and has some of the crazier orchestration and chorus work. The grand finale was absolutely phenomenal and is a truly beautiful piece of music.
The bottom line here is that Carach Angren absolutely stepped up their game with ‘Dance And Laugh Amongst The Rotten’. They’ve very clearly matured in their songwriting abilities and we’re benefiting for it. The dark, rich atmosphere the band so masterfully creates a riveting experience that any fans of black metal will enjoy. I think this is their best work yet and personally cannot wait to see these crazy bastards live again. All of the power packed into this record is brought 10 fold to the stage.