When the mainstream becomes extremely boring – just like eating margarine each and every day -, everybody try too hard to fit into all the generally accepted patterns, boxes, labels and genres and even the so-called “alternative” scene is nothing, but a cliche, still, the underground may bring salvation. Quite sadly, even the avant-garde scene and improvised music sometimes becomes predictable and boring…
I’m not a Black Metal consumer, but from time to time I find myself enjoying some Black Metal products. And well, not exclusively the traditional Scandinavian scene delivering quite exciting surprises.
Kyle Coughran – rhythm guitar/vocals, Shane Dawson – percussion, Alphonso Jimenez: bass guitar, Rhiis D. Lopez – lead vocals/keys and Brendan Moore – lead guitar/vocals/saxophone bring to the surface an extremely colourful, intense and exciting album. Black Metal roots are merged with Folk and Progressive Rock/Metal elements, complex structures, grinding Metal constructions are filled with style and inspiration with condiments from Folk to Jazz, from classy epic construction to spacy cinematic soundscapes.
Quote from their official bio: “We are the cadaverous flutter of hope. Ana Kefr (Arabic, “I am Infidel”) is a philosophical metal outfit hailing from Southern California. Founded mid-2008, Ak’s critically acclaimed debut release “Volume 1” (Muse Sick, 2009), followed one year later by the anniversary digi-single “Tonight We Watch the Children Fucking Burn” (Muse Sick, 2010), have established the band as a pioneering force of progressive music and thought.”
Unfortunately I didn’t listen “Volume 1”, but “The Burial Tree II” is a hell of an exciting experience. Dark and beautiful, twisted and intense, fluid and sparkling, their music is a fascinating journey to hell and back, and to heaven and back. Extreme Metal butcheries are shifted into quite and calm jazzy moments, tasty symphonic passages or dark, mysterious noises populate the space only for a few breath moments and only to nail you down again with some brutal riffs afterward. And very expressively, Ana Kefr managed to lead us through their contorted universe naturally and smoothly.
It’s one of the very few nowadays bands which managed to find their own sound and style, their music is breathing and alive, beautiful and heavy, surprising and exciting every second.
Ana Kefr – Official Site
Ana Kefr @ MySpace
Ana Kefr @ Facebook
Contact: [email protected]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=558_EdQkTpo&w=500&h=305]
