Though it only has five tracks, this new Cruz Del Sur split release from Italy's Hands of Orlac and Finland's The Wandering Midget actually contains over 40 minutes of music, with four new songs from the former and one epic track from the latter. Hands of Orlac blend doom with psychedelia and occult themes, as angelic female vocals float over arrangements that include heavy guitar riffs, flute, and precise drumming. The two lengthy tracks for them here are "Curse of the Human Skull" and "From Beyond the Stars", the first nearly 14-minutes of Black Sabbath influenced riffing, Jethro Tull styled flute blasts, and gorgeous vocals, while the other piece is a more fast paced slab of occult metal with plenty of headbanging moments. The other two tracks are short instrumental pieces highlighted by organ and guitar effects, neither one overly notable and serving somewhat as filler. Wandering Midget (hilariously bad name) contribute the 18-minute epic "Where We March The Vultures Follow", a head on collision of mind altering psychedelia and crushing doom, as bubbling synths collide with colossal guitar riffs, operatic male vocals rising from the depths as the thunderous guitars shatter your senses. It's a mighty potent example of monumental doom, and a good sampling of what this trio are all about.
Though both bands are quite different from each other, their pairing really works here on this split release. If you've never checked out either band, here's a great way to get your first introduction.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1. HANDS OF ORLAC – Curse Of The Human Skull
2. HANDS OF ORLAC – Per Aspera
3. HANDS OF ORLAC – From Beyond The Stars
4. HANDS OF ORLAC – Ad Astra
5. THE WANDERING MIDGET – Where We March The Vultures Follow
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