Origin : Poland
Genre : Black Metal
Release : 2019
Album downloads only available to members
Album Info / Review
**Arkona – *Age of Capricorn***
*Release: 2023 – Label: Asun*
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### Sonic Landscape
From the opening, Arkona launches into a raw, almost primal soundscape that feels both anchored in tradition and relentlessly forward‑marching. The drums—cascading double‑kick patterns mixed with sudden blast‑streaks—establish a bedrock that feels simultaneously ritualistic and incendiary. The bass doesn’t merely follow; it punctuates the aggression with a low, rolling resonance that amplifies the thrash undertones without ever sounding buried.
Vocalist Maria “Masha” Arkhipova’s raspy shrieks soar over layered harmonies, while the occasional clean, almost operatic, interludes surface like a distant, haunting chant. Her voice is the loudspeaker for the mythic narrative, carrying the weight of the folk‑metal archetype: stories unfurling with each guttural syllable.
The guitars deliver a three‑tiered feel. The rhythm lines are clunky, chunky—almost an attack, yet they ride behind a soaring melodic lead that is unmistakably reminiscent of Slavic folk motifs. The riffs fuse distortion with tremolo picking, making the guitar movement feel both relentless and melodic. I hear the “poly‑bows” they masterfully instrument: aggressive, yet refined.
### Atmosphere
The album creates a weather‑morphing atmosphere that resounds with the feeling of a bell ringing down a valley. Open, unirmed, celestial, and smoky all at once—like stepping into a golden, echoing cave as the sun dips behind.
Track “Wind of the Woods” is an ethereal journey, where the keyboards bring arpeggiated lily pads that glide over the metallic thrash, creating an intangible, swaying sense of depth.
The entire album has a cinematic quality that lends itself to an almost operatic, high‑energy soundtrack of pagan rituals and war drums.
### Riffs & Songwriting
Each riff feels like a gust of mighty, unbroken wind. Recurrent riffs, together with the distinct Sundial–like progression, make the songs sound like ancient ballads turned into lines of war. The melodic movement is smooth yet assertive, especially in “Stoneon”.
The more substantial tracks showcase Arkona’s signature structure: the vital mix between an anthemic choruses and intense, tearing down-tempo breakdowns that push listeners into unfeeling, emotional highs, truly in line with a modern Black Warrior. The band establishes their voice easily and combines riffs, harmonies, and raw production for a blend enabling the most intense climaxes.
### Production
Production peaks in its dynamism. You feel the ferocious energy of the drums, the guitars’ slight distortion shaping the wall of sound, and Masha’s vocals cutting clean through. The mastering was tight; no boom-booms precluding the core instruments. No matter how high-pitched the vocal line gets, they never drown the guitars.
The layering keeps the insert between soft background elements and louder lead elements, which elevates the musical flow.
### Overall Impression
*Age of Capricorn* is an impactful addition to Arkona’s discography, blending lact, fork from citizen<|reserved_200617|>, music, and battle into one flawless ring. The album maximises a raw, grinding wrath with powerful emotional content. All in all, Arkona offers a powerful, memorable, and glorious listening experience that is across genres an improvement.
