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Skagos: Ást

05/12/12 || sincan

Some bands are just overlooked or totally missed, tragically. The reasons might vary but sometimes bands do not work in the direction of being in the light, the label sucks or the fucking spirit randomness decides that some shitfuck metalcore band is the new thing.

Skagos plays North American forest inspired black metal similar to Wolves in the throne room and Agalloch with songs tracking over ten minutes, but as with the mentioned two bands they have their own specific sound as well. I guess that it is really hard to dislike Skagos if you like Wittr or Agalloch and if you don’t like these two bands I don’t see any reason why you might like Skagos either. But, everything isn’t black or white and people are not rational so don’t read that last part as if it was carved, using a spoon, on your penis.

While Wittr are famous for having their own farm, growing crops and having cozy fires in the woods Skagos speaks about living in caves. Weird that metal magazines don’t pick that up since caves are fucking metal and shit. Atavism is a cornerstone for this band, something which actually seems to be growing more and more in the genre and is maybe not just the trademark of Skagos. One might wonder what will happen with this evolution in the future, militant primitive living trve black metal? I guess that you now have a pretty clear picture of how they sound, and yes, you are most likely right.

The album intro is kind of misleading since it is of a dark ambient type but as fast as the intro ends the second track grabs the momentum of the dark path and draws you into the more organic and drab moss covered music. I know that a title like “The drums pound every night in a glorious celebration of life” might sound scary, I know this since life worshipping music is something that should be despised. But this is not the typical “life is good, I’m so spontaneously rock ‘n’ roll lets go grab a beer and later you might also see my Carpe diem tattoo between my anus and scrotum” music, so there are no reasons to be afraid actually. The track titles are slightly pretentious, but I guess you just have to deal with that and put them in the perspective of art or something or don’t give a crap and just listen to the music.

This is good, oh yes, don’t stop… Fuck I’m trying to write here… A thing worth mentioning with their music is the slower parts in the tracks which are pure nature romanticism, being beautiful and peaceful which adds up to the high quality of the songs. But something that bothers me a bit is the really silent parts on the album, which easily make you to check if the album is actually playing at all. First the intro starts very quiet and then the forth track, which is instrumental, starts in the same quiet way.

“Ást” is a pretty fucking solid record and a must have for people who likes this kind of music. Do yourself a favor (if you read this) and check them out, then walk out in the forest and recharge your batteries. Haha no, who am I kidding? Rule the Internet and laugh at funny cats.

Information
Released: 2009
Label: Eternal Warfare
Website: Skagos Bandcamp
Band
Isaac Symonds: guitars, vocals
Ray Hawes: Bass

Tracklist
01. Colossal spell
02. The drums pound every night in a glorious celebration of life
03. Blossoms will sprout from the carcass
04. …With a warm recollection
05. Caliginosity
06. A night that ends, as all nights end, when the sun rises

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