Devotees of Black metal with a penchant for etherial, melancholic atmospheres, take heed. Hailing from Germany and founded by the band`s sole member Azken in 2018 this self-titled second full-length of AZKETEM showcases 8 remarkably well-written songs drenched in bittersweet bleakness. A display of sheer talent, the soothingly introspective and enchantingly otherworldly predominantly mid-paced tracks take the attentive listener places. The bigger part of the album`s tracks isn`t shorter than 7 minutes allowing the compositions to fully unfold their meditative trance. The whole album is deeply imbued with a sense of escapist yearning not least because of Azken`s extraordinary mostly clean vocals. This, coupled with addictive, repetitive riffs, great bass-lines and the occasional use of keyboards to amplify the overall atmosphere, make for an outstanding album not to be missed by anyone into ingeniously crafted melancholic metal. Recorded at Lighthill Studios Berlin in Spring 2023. Produced by Impurus and mastered by Tore Stjerna at NBS Studios Sweden (WATAIN etc.).
