Belore "Eastern Tales" LP

“Epic black metal” — created by Summoning in the mid-90s and perfected by Caladan Brood in 2013 with Echoes of Battle, this merging of dungeon synth and the more atmospheric side of black metal is a subgenre that has spawned a lot of imitators but few that reach the heights of the aforementioned acts. Enter Belore, a French duo bringing this style into the modern age with more polished and grandiose production. Eastern Tales doesn’t quite follow in the same footsteps of the pioneers, but those interested in a more symphonic and folk-inspired take on the genre will find this an enjoyable listen. Belore play a variation of epic black metal that trades in simplistic synths for grand symphonic keyboards and a hefty dose of flutes that often provide the melodic component. The result is a sound akin to Saor, with single melodies drawn out into seven to nine-minute epics. The strongest aspect of the album is the in-house mixing job courtesy of bandleader Aleevok, fully showcasing the metal and non-metal elements of the music while remaining lush and pleasant on the ears — Eastern Tales is utterly steeped in fantastical atmosphere.

Released by Northern Silence on violet/black galaxy vinyl. Comes with poster.