Main Content

Country of origin:Germany
Location:Leipzig, Saxony
Status:Split-up
Formed in:2013

Antlers - Logo
Genre:Atmospheric Black Metal
Lyrical themes:Existentialism, Myths, Death, Dreams, History
Last label:Totenmusik
Years active:2013-2019
Compilation appearance(s):
● 2015 "Resistance: ANTI-NSBM Volume 3" with the song “To The Throats” (08:19)
- This compilation was released by antifascist/anarchic collective The Dark Skies Above Us, all the 53 bands are openly against NSBM and fascism.

Antlers - Photo

DISCOGRAPHY

A Gaze into the Abyss Full-length 2015
Beneath.Below.Behold Full-length 2018

last line up

Mts Bass, Vocals
See also: Evil Warriors, I I, Youna, Vent (live), ex-Devil Lee Rot, ex-Motor, ex-Pirates of Acheron, ex-Thromos, ex-Nocturnal Witch (live), ex-Nuclear Nature
M. Drums
See also: Bloody Vengeance, Cntmpt, Evil Warriors, I I, The Inner Abyss, Vent (live), Storm of Stress, ex-Abyssous (live), ex-Serpent (live)
Ntx Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals
See also: (Dolch), Vidargängr, ex-Inner Dogma, ex-Cop on Fire, ex-Leader Shit

PAST MEMBERS

Pablo C. Ursusson Guitars
See also: ex-Icon, Sangre de Muérdago, ex-Machetazo (live), ex-Cop On Fire, ex-Diente Picado, ex-Ekkaia, ex-Leader Shit, ex-Seres, ex-Use of Abuse, ex-Xcons

reviews

Antlers - A Gaze into the Abyss

Flows rather nicely - 85%
coffinfodder666, February 29th, 2016
Written based on this version: 2015, Digital, Independent
I discovered Antlers quite by accident and I really wasn't sure whether to take them seriously or not (I mean who the fuck would name their band Antlers?) but I am glad I gave it a spin. They did not blow my mind in anyway but their debut "A Gaze Into The Abyss" ended up being a delightful slab of atmospheric black metal.

Antlers is a band from Germany and unlike many German bands that I've encountered these guys seem to be well grounded which definitely is a refreshing change when considering most of the over hyped bullshit being released these days.

The debut spans close to 40 minutes and contains six tracks that flow smoothly whilst reminding you of earlier material by Altar of plagues and perhaps a little bit of Wolves in the throne room. The riffing even though not the most complex is melodic and comes complete with nice build ups to keep you hooked. Some melodic guitar solos have been thrown in for good measure which adds to the overall appeal of the album. The drumming might not be ground breaking but manages to compliment the guitars and builds up the atmosphere with mid paced beats and wreak havoc with cleverly executed blast beats. Keyboards are used but not over used in the album and all these elements come together to create a dismal atmosphere which is nothing short of captivating.

Vocals are pretty much standard growls,shrieks and the occasional yaww waaah waaah singing (that's what most vocalists sound like when they try to sing with a black metal voice). In all honesty though, keeping it simple seems to be a going well for the band. The overall production is not sharp but compliments the soundscapes the band is capable of creating by adding that little element of impurity.

Antlers might not bring anything new to the table but they are capable of executing what they know quite masterfully. It might not be filed under my list of ground breaking atmospheric black metal releases but it will surely be a record that I listen to on a regular basis.

Originally written for : Bitterdistaste.com

Antlers - Beneath.Below.Behold

Antlers - Beneath.Below.Behold - 94%
Edmund Sackbauer, April 9th, 2020
Written based on this version: 2018, CD, Totenmusik (Digipak)

Antlers is not only the name of a promising upcoming horror flick produced by Guillermo del Toro and directed by Scott Cooper, but also a highly talented band based in Leipzig/Germany. Respectively, it would be more correct to say “was a highly talented band” as they disbanded shortly after the release of “Beneath.Below.Behold”, their second full length. This is a real shame, as their ferocious style of black metal with a good dose of death metal thrown on top is filled to the brim with great ideas, a lot of creativity and a huge amount of talent. Consisting of six full tracks and three shorter instrumental pieces this album provides a journey to dark and unknown place, with the band going much further than most of their peers.

Starting off with some threatening sounds turning into the first of many captivating guitar melodies opening track “Theôm” is a good showcase of what Antlers are all about. Over 11 minutes the listener will find himself visiting different places, visualized by the sheer power of the music. The basis of the music is comprised of crushingly heavy riffing, with the main chords being colossal and the swirling harmonies helping to create a filthy and doom-soaked atmosphere. The lead guitar harmonies are cleverly implemented and offer hints of melody into an often atonal framework. This album is loaded to the brim with interplays between the crunchy trademark rhythms and the more fragile and often eerie lead harmonies. “Beneath.Below.Behold” is very much about contrasts, light and darkness if you will.

While the main focus often is on the riffs and relentless drum attacks, there are a lot of desperate and haunting harmonies dwelling in the background. Eerie themes presented by the lead guitar are always present – sometimes more subtle and in other places as leading elements, defining certain parts of the song. The drumming is precise, often drifting into chaotic territories, just to find its way back into a groovier and more supportive role. The technical level of the instrumentation is immense – however, the main focus is always on the songs, the atmospheric themes and the haunting soundscapes, not so much on pure showcasing.

The howling vocals are fierce, with the growling style underlining the death metal nuances of the record. The lyrics can be perfectly understood and this is a plus in my books, as they are surprisingly well thought out. The main theme seems to be a certain place, and the journey to reach it. My interpretation is that this location is more of a metaphor of a certain state of mind, that each individual can reach. There are several dangers and temptations waiting along the way, and depending on the route you choose you might find your luck or get crashed and burned and swept away.

The production is more or less flawless, being powerful and organic at the same time. Each detail can be heard, and every instrument gets enough room to breathe, as the overall sound is not too compressed. The cover artwork of the physical edition being mainly kept in orange and turquoise underlines the special atmosphere, rounding off a fantastic package that should not be missed by fans of the genre. What a shame that we will not get any new material from these lads.

Cut Their Grain and Place Fire Therein - 81%
Wilytank, June 22nd, 2018
Written based on this version: 2018, Digital, Totenmusik (Bandcamp)

Antlers are a German/Spanish atmospheric black metal band who take no small influence from some of the post-black metal big names like Weakling or Wolves in the Throne Room. They're a band who I found just by poking around some Youtube channels seeing which random new albums I like the most, and Beneath.Below.Behold ended up being one of those albums that just stuck. It's a very clear sounding that, while long, flows nicely and remains engaging.

The album is essentially split into three parts with two songs put in each part and broken up by interludes. It works here because each of the song pairs compliment each other rather well and though the songs in each pair are strong enough on its own, listening to both parts make their respective chapters sound complete. The atmosphere is very stoic with the existential lyrical themes pairing nicely with the guitar melodies. And though the album does start fast with "Theôm" and "Heal", the blast beats are put away for a more steady pace on the remaining tracks which ends up sounding really good.

While hardly groundbreaking, Beneath.Below.Behold is a cool album worth listening to in full a few times if you're into atmospheric black metal. It sounds nice and crisp though apparently there are keyboards used that I can't hear at all. Regardless of that, the album is definitely solid.