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Metal Archeology – Medenera
And we have uncovered another hidden marvel. Through dumb luck, I came across our third feature for Metal Archeology. Considering that we find one of these gems apparently once every geological eon, I probably have to explain what exactly this is again. Metal Archaeology is where we expose unknown artists, with less than 100 likes on Facebook, thus spotlighting real good music that you would normally miss out on, among everything being released. With all that in mind, meet Medenera (79 likes on Facebook at the time of writing this post), a crazy good one man atmospheric black metal project from Italy.
I was unable to find much information about the band. I don’t even know what the person’s name is, but the music is available on Bandcamp, so you can go check it out right away! Suffice to say, if you have a taste for atmospheric stuff, this band is probably everything you ever dreamed of. With a single titled “Anshar”, released in September 2018, and the full length debut “Medenir” coming on December 25th in the same year, they don’t have a lot of music, but it’s more than enough to have you remember them.
The music is slow, dark and hypnotic, but as peaceful as a silent forest in winter. The guitars and drums have a muffled and raw sound, so there isn’t any aggressive edge to the music, and it’s all driven by the soothing echoes of the melodies. I like the whispered yet still slightly harsh style of the vocals a lot. It sounds eerie and mysterious and further enhances the atmosphere. Last but not least, there is a very good orchestral layer surrounding the entire soundscape, and it is the main aspect that makes the music so peaceful. If you ever need to hide from the world and tone yourself down, Medenir is the perfect cure for stress or hyperactivity. I highly suggest you give it a try!
thepitofthedamned.blogspot.com
Monday 24 February 2020
Medenera - ORO
# FOR THOSE WHO LOVE: Atmospheric Black, Summoning
Medenera is a fairly recent Italian one-man-band, born in 2017 but with two albums already behind it. The latest addition is 'Oro', a disc divided into four sections which are in turn divided into three parts. The disc unwinds for almost seventy minutes of evocative music that from the initial keyboard parts immediately calls into question a name, Summoning. Faced with such artistic manifestations, the first thing I do, and it rarely happens, is to close my eyes and immerse myself totally in the magical atmospheres that bands inserted in this vein, are able to create. And it seems that the female voice of the first triplet titled "Aurea" is there to guide me on this epic journey into a fantastic distant world. The dreamy melodies of this first long suite kidnap my fantasy with their rhythmic rhythm accompanied by spectacular synths that enrich the rhythmic base of the mysterious Italic factotum, which can be heard singing only in small portions, leaving the task of filling our ears with music splendid emotions. The triptych also slips delicate in the second part between whispers, ethereal atmospheres but also occasional outbursts, in which the screaming vocals of the frontman come out. And our listening continues as well as the images that appear before me seem to be those of a Frodo Baggins who walks unperturbed in Hobbiton, happy and quiet images that are broken by sporadic black accelerations and by the grim singing of the mastermind. With "Splendor" opens another triptych of songs that seem to introduce us into a new fairy world, thanks to a female singing different from the one heard in the beginning. The music, however, continues with its refined gait, in which ample space is given to the keyboards but also to an almost tribal drumming, which together constitute a long introductory hat to that heinous riffing that will come out later. Medenera's music is constantly evolving, as if it were a story and the music goes to represent the spectacular soundtrack in a coordinated stylistic movement based on what is narrated. Obviously, such disks are connected to stories related to imaginary worlds and to the nature that belongs to them, like those places narrated by Tolkien in his epic saga. The third part reaches its maximum expressive splendor, relying again on female spoken words and a highly inspired rhythm. The sound flow, as I said, is constantly changing and from the arrembant rhythms in the blink of an eye we find ourselves in an environment with decadent hues as if we are faced with the preamble of a frightening clash. The appearance of an opera voice in the background, as well as the use of an instrument that is difficult to identify, however, dilutes the tension that had been created in such a short time. In the meantime, we enter the third episode, "Ver Aeternum" and immediately a sung with esoteric features becomes evident as a novelty of this triplet. The music is confirmed as inspired by the keyboards which are now the main element of the entire release, both in rhythmic and environmental terms. The gentle voice of the damsel on duty then does the rest as well as the ethnic tribality of drumming further embellishes a release that is already remarkable in itself which also sees a flute peeping out. "Flumina Nectaris" is entrusted with the arduous task of closing the release and the debut is of those portentous with a rifferama accompanied by a majestic keyboard carpet. Again, however, a slowdown in history, a flashback, a digression, a suspended dream, delicate touches of piano, ethereal and folkloric melodies that will find a new awakening in the second part of the song, where the singer, who seems to use an invented language, goes to join the growling of our multi-instrumentalist, here in great dusting and who is preparing to close the release with a piece in the name of the synth dungeon. Now, before leaving you to the final sentence, I wonder only how it is possible that the Italian labels have let slip such a release and have forced the Medenera to seek asylum in Russia. Have we found the worthy heirs of the Summonings? Listen to the CD and let me know. (Francesco Scarci)
(GS Productions - 2019)
Rating: 82
MEDENERA Argento
MEDENERA (Italy) - OrO (2019) - GS Productions GSP 291 - CD digipak “In an interview, an Italian musician, and this is a project of one person (without a nickname), said:“ I am a creator, I have no name, I have no history, I'm just an idea ”- I have to quote my response to the first album of this formation. Now he has three albums in his operating warehouse, in 2020 the third full-length of the musician was released. At the first, I decided that its content is atmospheric black metal, with which the metal archives also agree. Now let's listen to the second album, what new ideas the author has in mind. And here, from the very beginning, he goes by creating a voluminous ultra-melodic dark metal - long and drawn-out - into midtempo, where a female voice is woven - not for vocals, but to create a certain minor, but light mood (further it will be used more than once and not two). Somewhere after the center, male vocals turned on, but, relatively speaking, not at full strength, also hidden in the depths, but already rushing into the front layers of the musical press. This vocals remained deep - varnished under the classical and folk melodies, which the composer fervently exploits. The thunderstorm is not exactly expected, it is felt with the fibers of a metal soul. However, even on track 2, the author is still frolicking, developing a dark metal atmospheric concept. Where is the thunder? In the second third, a short storm burst - black metal vocals burst out, which were suddenly joined by underground choirs. Neoclassical passages and large intros flowing into the work itself are in the greater honor of this author. Almost all of them are quite light, "not fenced" according to metal canons, like a window into the pastoral non-existent history of mankind. In contrast to this material, more powerful dark clouds of dark metal mixed with black metal suddenly appear - precisely in the extreme vocal-screaming of our singer-songwriter. Maybe not exceptional. However, how does it fit into the material! I am sure that the sound engineer spent a lot of time to merge these multidirectional, different emotional layers in order to get the perfect final result. As a result, we have a description of the elven, fantasy world, special for the breath of nature, contemplation and perception. Whether the listener wants or does not want, he involuntarily "harnesses this theme" - this is the magic power of art. The magic here, it seems, is also in the structuring of the musical content of the tracks (of course) - although the ritual part is hidden quite deeply, it is guessed in the agreed alternation of fast and slow themes, more massive strange (coupled with rhythm-sectional slaughter) and airy epic keyboard ... An excellent album for rest, relaxation. http://gsp-music.com
