Carathis - The Haunting of Sablewood (full ep, 2023)

I am pleased to present a spooktacular new release from Erech Leleth’s Carathis project – he of Ancient Mastery, Narzissus, Grandeur and several other intoxicatingly cool projects - with an EP of fiendish melody and playfully eerie atmosphere! Fully expect the start of The Anniversary to tip in to Welcome to the Jungle, which I suspect is fully deliberate – it does not, but it does accelerate into some glam speed metal with sinister blackened screechy gothic vocals; which kind of describes this whole EP, but doesn’t capture the euphoric rush that it keeps delivering in so many detailed little flourishes. Be they changes in pace and tone; vocal styles, riffs or rhythms, this whole album is a deliriously cool rush of metal and rock. and then blam, it is over! A sugary dark delicacy, pitch black that will get you a bit hyper – like liquorice, expect liquorice is disgusting, and Carathis is awesome. Perfect thing for a Friday evening! Get it on, up and blasting loud!