The fifth full-length album from Hungary’s Aetherius Obscuritas (try saying that ten times real fast without passing out!),
Black Medicine/Fekete Orvosság, is a center-positioned black metal album that features most of the conventions of black metal that addicts cannot get enough of, such as raspy vocals, sparse clean vocals, tremolo-picked guitars, medium-to-fast paced rhythms, blast beats, etc., so, in this regard, the album is recommended,
albeit in a default-setting kind of way. However, working against the album's favor is that it does not feature any unconventional elements that would renovate the template in any substantial or subtle way (at least to my ears). But to be fair, not every black metal band needs to reinvent the template in order to produce something that sounds approximately original, or left of center, as well-executed formula-driven black metal is still appealing (again, at least to my ears). So, if you consider yourself to be a rabid black metal fan, this album will surely satisfy you, as it has for me. But, if you are looking for a gateway album that will lead you to a greater appreciation of the genre, this album will more than likely not open that gate for you.
The fifth full-length album from Hungary’s Aetherius Obscuritas (try saying that ten times real fast without passing out!), Black Medicine/Fekete Orvosság, is a center-positioned black metal album that features most of the conventions of black metal that addicts cannot get enough of, such as raspy vocals, sparse clean vocals, tremolo-picked guitars, medium-to-fast paced rhythms, blast beats, etc., so, in this regard, the album is recommended, albeit in a default-setting kind of way. However, working against the album's favor is that it does not feature any unconventional elements that would renovate the template in any substantial or subtle way (at least to my ears). But to be fair, not every black metal band needs to reinvent the template in order to produce something that sounds approximately original, or left of center, as well-executed formula-driven black metal is still appealing (again, at least to my ears). So, if you consider yourself to be a rabid black metal fan, this album will surely satisfy you, as it has for me. But, if you are looking for a gateway album that will lead you to a greater appreciation of the genre, this album will more than likely not open that gate for you.