[rwp-review id=”0″]
You always have to take your hat off to a band that is willing to do things differently to everything else. While I do love the genre I do see what many people say when they say the black metal genre has been kind of stale lately which is why the brand new EP – Demimonde – from Britain’s own Calligram is a little bit of a breath of fresh air.
Calligram are a band that have seen an unique way to mix up the genre by incorporating elements of black metal and then bringing the intensity and ferocity of a punk or hardcore band… something that makes this album a very interesting listen in deed.
The brutal sound of Calligram is there from the opening screech of Demimonde as opening track Red Rope roars into life. And while the black metal sound is there for all to hear in that track the next track, Bed Of Nails, sees the drumming work of Ardo Cotones hit an epic level that certainly sees the punk side of things arrive while the guitars seem to float through and take the listener on a journey.
Perhaps the track on Demimonde that really shows the maturity of Calligram though is Drowned which sees the band allow the music to fade out and then hit back with force time and time again. It’s a simple thing for them to do but boy does it bring atmosphere to the album. This is followed up by Black Velvet which has a drawn out sound with moments of punk power, while the album closes with Bataclan (surely a reference to the theatre at the centre of the Paris terror attacks) which has a distinct ‘there is a house in New Orleans’ feel to it.
Calligram have delivered a worthy little album with Demimonde and if you like to try some music a little different to everything else out there then you should give this one a listen.
