EP Review: Tombs – Monarchy Of Shadows

One day, black metal is going to run out of new ways to play a minor chord really fast. Until then, bands like Brooklyn’s Tombs will continue to push at the sides of the diabolical form and twist things just enough to keep them interesting without rocking the boat too much.

The six tracks on Monarchy Of Shadows are ripping, diabolic odes to darkness that drink heavily from the same chalice as Watain, with razor-wire guitar melodies sticking jaggedly out the top of songs like the awesomely-titled Necro Alchemy and the grand title-track, while Once Falls The Guillotine adds a few satisfyingly heavy thrash riffs into the mix.

It’s nothing anyone with even a passing interest in black metal hasn’t heard before, but the way Tombs attack the songs and turn them into a vehicle to express darkness makes it compelling nevertheless, and their finely-tuned skill with blastbeats and blasphemy will ensure their place on Satan’s playlists.

Verdict: 3/5