A solo project from darkest Athens, Fell Omen is the brainchild of Greek multi-instrumentalist Spider Of Pynx (a.k.a. Dimitris Corax Augoustinos). A combination of old-school Metal, Dungeon Synth, Punk and classic Black Metal, Caelid Dog Summer (True Cult Records) is the band’s second album, their first, Invaded by a Dark Spirit, only landing in February of this year. A busy little Black Metal bee indeed.
In the truest spirit of the genre, Fell Omen prefers unpolished, Lo-fi recording methods rather than overblown and overproduced soundscapes. So much so, that after listening to feedback relating to the deliberately old tape sound quality of the debut, Augoustinos not only doubled down but introduced a whole lot of flanger and phaser effects this time too.
Opening with a gloriously early-to-mid-eighties NWOBHM riff, “Starscourge Phase One & Phase Two” boasts a superbly performed guitar solo with rasping Black Metal vocals entering the fray around two-thirds of the way in. Punk meets Metal on tracks like the multifaceted “Northern Lights Bomb” and “Born To Siege,” the latter sounding like Venom having their knees shredded in a motorbike accident before hitting more melodic territory towards the end.
Nothing pleasant ever seems to begin with thunderstorms and tolling bells, and with it its fast-paced Black Metal Punk attack, “The Horrors Persist But So Does Steel” is further proof of that. More bells and ominous rumblings precede the simplistic but full force battery of “Poise On Rune,” both songs not only incorporating traditional eighties riffs but also adding a healthy touch of Folk into the proceedings.
Taking its name from computer game Elden Ring, the title track is a darkly atmospheric interlude before the impressive “The Fire Is Still Warm” closes out the record. Sounding like a remnant from the early nineties, the final track fuses Black Metal to more traditional influences. Basically everything from Black Sabbath to Bathory to Conan The Barbarian. With a flanger.
If you like your Black Metal huge and symphonic then it’s fair to say that Caelid Dog Summer might not be entirely for you. However, if you like it authentic, traditional and distinctly Lo-fi, then this one-man band from Greece might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Buy the album here:
https://fellomen.bandcamp.com/album/caelid-dog-summer
7 / 10
GARY ALCOCK
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