Riddle of Meander 

Orcus

Excesor Christianorum 2008

One of my favorite of the new wave of Greek bands, Riddle of Meander returns with their second full length album.  On the surface it is clearly a Nordic sounding album, mainly influenced by early Satyricon and Burzum.  But beneath that there is also a strong undercurrent of Samael and even some Hellenic black metal influences.  For example near the three minute mark of Maniacal Possession that slow riffing style Samael perfected on Worship Him bubbles to the surface.  The liberal use of deep near chanted vocals throughout the album (I Am the Key and the Gate, Inner Alchemy of War) calls to mind Greek material such as Rotting Christ's Thy Mighty Contract album.  The clean guitar and whispered vocals during Descensus Ad Inferos adds a level of brooding contemplation that breaks up the unending stream of glacially melodic riffing and buzzing guitars.  The songwriting on Orcus is a little more compact than on End of All Life and Creation.  Riddle of Meander manage to write such catchy and memorable riffs that have my head swaying as my ears follow their flow.  A good example is the main riff in Eclipse of Witchcraft.  I have only one minor complaint and that is I would like to hear the guitars raised in the mix a slight bit as sometimes their memorable riffs are buried below the drums and they are far too interesting to be relegated to a secondary role.  Riddle of Meander once again delivers an album of early 90s sounding black metal filled with majesty and mystery.  With Orcus, Riddle of Meander have once again established why they are such a magical force within today's underground.  This is a band, an entity, a force that deserves and commands respect.  Salve Hecate!!!!!