Review: Petrychor - Dryad

Artist: Petrychor
Title: Dryad
Format: Demo
Year: 2010
Label: None (now signed to Khrysanthoney)
Genre: Atmospheric black metal
Rating: 80 / 100

Last year a new label appeared; it was called Khrysanthoney and has already swinged 4 releases into daylight (plus a Velvet Cacoon rerelease), of which I already reviewed two on this blog: Sleeping Peonies' Ghosts, and Other Things and the third Clair Cassis EP; Luxury Absolute. This band, Petrychor, was probably their latest signing, with an album release date planned for somewhere this year. This little demo; Dryad, is some kind of foretaste of what this one-man black metal project has to offer.

When looking to the band's logo and the coverart, it shouldn't be a big surprise when I mention Petrychor plays the atmospheric, probably nature-inspired type of black metal. This description often leads to a huge deception, sometimes because of the exuberant use of keyboards, sometimes because of the terrible sound quality and sometimes because of the uninspired fairytale melodies. In this particular case it leads to something which can easily be described as being one of the better projects active in this style of black metal. Even 'though progression occurs very rarely in black metal, Petrychor seems to almost have the debut this year of putting some renewing elements in their music (except for Sleeping Peonies' first album of course). One of those elements is the extensive use of highly melodic guitar melodies, and even some solos, no mindless Yngwie Malmsteen shredding-until-one-of-your-fingers-catches-fire, but a nice, noisy but melodic addition to the music, fortunately pretty much mixed to the background.

Intros, intermezzos and even one full song are build up by acoustic instruments, mainly piano and acoustic guitar, creating a spacious contrast with the rest of the, almost suffocating, mazes of guitar and synth melodies. Most of this demo is already by far on a level which would fit perfectly on a full album, just two minor points of criticism; the vocals are a bit too whishpery in my opinion for this kind of music, and the drums sound a bit mechanic (I assume they were programmed), but both of these factors form absolutely no problem most of the time. I even read on their website that their debut album will contain acoustic drums, which will hopefully be an improvement for their sound.

This demo forms a very promising debut for Petrychor, leaving me longing for the first real release. Khrysanthoney seems to have a great ear for promising new bands playing a bit unorthodox style of black metal, Petrychor is just a very fine addition to their roster.

Somebody loves you,

Selwin.