Dutch
band Swampcult
aren't just inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, they've based an album
entirely on his highly acclaimed story 'The
Festival'. Mixing black metal, doom metal, and death metal, they've formed
a new style that defies easy categorization - to call it 'Lovecraftian metal' is perhaps the best way to describe the
intriguing music. Each song is divided into chapters tracing the original 'The Festival' story, bringing it to
life. The sounds of dread were never before so easily captured in this genre.
The very vibe of H.P. Lovecraft's story has been recreated using a mixture
of various extreme sounds; from the strange murmurings in the village to the
toll of bells, it's all encapsulated perfectly in one album.
To
give it visual appeal, a special 'story card' is created for each chapter, each
having its own artwork and writings, which is given out free with the purchase
of any physical product. Swampcult, in addition to devoting an album
entirely to H.P.
Lovecraft's 'The Festival'
story, have written excellent, contemporary music that's seamless, laden with
surprises, and consistent. If there could be a genuine soundtrack for H.P.
Lovecraft's story, this is it. 'The
Festival' is meant to be heard from start to finish, with at least the
lyrics sheet in hand if not the book itself, and is recommended to all those
who a're into things horror and extreme.
Listen to “Chapter VI - The Flight” below. The band’s latest, “The Festival” is available on October 2nd.
You can pre-order it here
