NEFTARAKA "MCMLXXXI" out now 130113

narrowards.blogspot.com

NEFTARAKA "Morts"

NEFTARAKA "Morts" (Eldritch Lunar Miasma Records)

The signs had been revealed in "Eternal Harsh", now "Morts" is the deliverence. NEFTARAKA's second album is the band's most 'personal' offerings so far (it topped the intensity on "Eternal Harsh"), and it's the total thrust right in the heart for the band's characteristics even more. Trademarked NEFTARAKA mould is all here, but "Morts" is the grimmest of the grim, harshest of the harsh when compared with their previous outputs. The vocals took a wider, varied approach this time, while the band tries to accentuate the different moods being set on the compositions. Aggressive and depressive parts are both maximized for the impact intended, I use the word 'personal' due to the fact that you can easily sense the roller-coaster ride of the moods when you finally get immersed in the proceeding. It is not that straight-forward anymore as in the past, but here's some prove that you can always be extreme without being overtly fast and to the point. Yes it is good ol' primitive black Metal with depresssive moments that you might feel familiar with, but NEFTARAKA is doing it their own way that the listening will never feel 'dated' and 'jaded'. Don't worry, you will not find any 'happy' moments even when they are at their most melodic here, NEFTARAKA is careful enough to avoid that trap. Total isolation and bleak experience guaranteed. I have declared it before and I am still standing firm behind it, the fact that NEFTARAKA is currently the reigning bastard of Malaysian black Metal, and "Morts" could do nothing but strengthen the facts. Ignore this and you are missing on something of great importance for the local scene. Excellent cover artwork by Ironworx Gravefix for the completion of one fine release.

www.eldritchlunarmiasma.com

www.myspace.com/necroneftaraka

NEFTARAKA "Eternal Harsh"

NEFTARAKA "Eternal Harsh" (Apocalypse Venomous Recs.)

You be damned. You and I. The new NEFTARAKA is dawning upon us. "Eternal Harsh" did kept me anticipating. The rawness of "Law Ist Law" still lingers to say the very least, nothing unexpected if I did prepare with some sort of blueprint, readying for what is to be unfolded as "Eternal Harsh". Meticulously considered, this is what I could bestow upon as the most 'hearfelt' (a romanticised?) collective of NEFTARAKA opus so far. The compositions are, while still retaining that certain rawness, have now developed into some sort of dark melancholia deeply embedded within those blackening structures. This, amidst flirting a little with their straight-forward purpose, succeeded in making them driven more deeply into the listening senses, and this; the knack of identifying significant verses and manipulating it for that maximum impact, has been promised in onw way or another on their previous outputs. Those reached a new height in "Eternal Harsh", bare witness with those hateful yet sorrowfilled endeavours. NEFTARAKA could be one of Malaysia's most potent Metal exports, and with a weapon like "Eternal Harsh", nobody needs further arguing. A single wrong track-listing aside, this nicely done cassette tape release deserves your utmost attention. It shouldn't be limited to 150, and should be made available in various formats. All hail "Eternal Harsh", it could be the only Metal album of black arts from the local scene you'll ever need this 2010.

myspace.com/avenomousrecords

myspace.com/necroneftaraka

EASTERN DAMNATION

EASTERN DAMNATION 4-way split CD (Eternia Recs.)
Split releases are good. They give you the chance to discover more than a band in a single release. And most of the time they're full of surprises. Bands that you've never cared about suddenly became the one to watch. Or the other way around. "Eastern Damnation" gathers four black Metal-insinuated bands, two each from Malaysia and Singapore respectively. NEFTARAKA initiated the damning , and rightly so they deliver. NEFTARAKA is the unofficial 'budak jahat' of Malaysian black Metal at the moment. One of the few bands able to infuse the rawness and eastern nuances effortlessly. These enormous capabilities, however, is dampened by the 'oh-so-obvious' low-bitrate compressed MP3 sounding of the tracks. I'm pretty sure the master-audio source for NEFTARAKA's part is in MP3 format of the lowest bit, and no matter how hard you try to salvage, whatever has been compressed is not going to come back. It's a real pity, all three tracks of them here show what NEFTARAKA is capable of. It's a pain to hear such fine song as 'The Knoll' being badly bruised by this MP3-to-cd audio format banality. EIBON is up next, and let's just be clear that this is not 'The Garden of Theoprastus' part two, all over these years EIBON has transformed into a different beast altogether. It is still black Metal, prevailently on the more personal side. It's like a mix-and-match of their various influences into one. Obviously more aggressive than before, a bit dreamy and drifting in places, with the synths very much in use, EIBON is somewhat of an acquired taste these days. They did it alright, just. 'Damnation (Heart Whisper)' is not a song though. A slightly different looking NEFARIOUS AZARAK comes next, they're way into the blackthrash realm nowadays, hardly the NEFARIOUS AZARAK in their earlier releases. And as before, you know that they can pull it off, as the way it is before; but the somewhat weak production prohibits them to destroy you into pieces. Well-executed production is somewhat vital for 'thrashing' it all out, if you know what I mean. 'Enslaved by Satan's Reign' rips. Last on the line is the veterans AS SAHAR, and these years of experiences show in the three tracks here. If you're familiar with them, it's still the typical AS SAHAR minus 'Baku Karama', especially the trademarked guitars sound. It is quite positive to see AS SAHAR on the path discovered once again with the last album "Tir", it might be possible sooner or later classics like 'Tinggam', or 'Depressive Moonsoon' will surely be reincarnated in another form. "Eastern Damnation" is presented in a nice digipak format with 12-pages booklet, typical Kompgraphner graphic arts (think HAYAGRIVA's "Red Heaven"), and a poster for the first few hundreds.

deathrone777@gmail.com

NEFTARAKA "Raw Ist Law"

NEFTARAKA "Raw Ist Law" (kvlt666 produktion)

Fukk, this is true 'Black Metal Hutan'. This is Malaysian Forest Black Metal. Heart and soul. Minimalist raw black Metal stripped bare into its hideous charm. I dare not adding much, for this is just what it aims to be. References of early Darkthrone and the likes are just mere references, Neftaraka is more than able to hold unto its own. The production is just right for their hymns, a fact I very much applaud since that I'm from the 'raw doesn't mean shit-sounding turds' Front. Embrace the charm of our own deep, damp, hideous forest. Its prowess are endless. Just let Neftaraka shows you a glimpse or two. Don't ever come out of there Neftaraka, we need more of these. Damn you.

www.myspace.com/kvlt666prod