Sometimes I wonder how many great bands are out there that I have never heard of. Until I got the offer to review “Wisdom of Centuries”, Khors were one of them. I was quite surprised that these Ukrainian black metalheads have been around and very busy since 2004. “Wisdom of Centuries” is already the fifth album so far. The line up has also been remarkably stable since the first album, with the three original members still in the band.
The cover artwork looks quite nice, but it’s really nothing outstanding, I dare say. But, hey, what counts is the music, right?
Just like on the last album “Return to the Abandoned”, the journey begins with a very atmospheric intro before the first real song starts. “Black Forests Flaming eyes”, a nine minutes epic, immediately shows in what direction the album goes (one might think at first listen). We have atmospheric keyboard layers that combine with the guitars and the rest on a much more organic level than it was the case on previous albums. We have crunchy guitars (also some nice lead guitar work) and a very interesting song structure that does not get boring, even after the 50th time you listen to it.
But I wasn’t telling the whole truth when I said that would be the way the whole album goes. “The last leaves” comes up with more tempo, shredding lead guitars and blast beats, the perfect contrast to the rather epic opener. The album also contains four instrumentals, two of which are intro and outro, as well as two interludes that lead from song to song, giving the listener the chance to take a breath. Especially “Horizon glassy” with its slight jazz touch is noteworthy here.
For me, the title track is the strangest, yet also on of the most interesting songs of the album. Beginning with a very slow drum beat, psychedelic clean guitars and whispers, the song develops into a very dark down-tempo song that sounds completely different than the rest. At the end of “Wisdom of Centuries” we get another very melodic, epic song in the style of the opener. “The Only Time Will Take It Away“ again combines clean guitar melodies with thick layers of keyboard and outstanding vocals.
The production is at the top level of what underground bands deliver nowadays. No muddy sound here; instead, every instrument is distinguishable, which enables the listener to discover new details all the time. Yet, what disappoints me in a way, is the extremely short running time of only 38 minutes. I mean the music is awesome, but I always have the impression that the album ends when it is just about to start. Maybe it is all a thought-out concept of some way, but I would have wished for another song or two. Obviously, these guys know how to write good songs.
All things considered, “Wisdom of Centuries” has become a very good black metal album that might help the band to stand out in the crowd. The Ukrainians have delivered a record that is made of many different elements, all together forming the unique sound of Khors. Fans of atmospheric and melodic black metal should by all means check this album out. As mentioned above, the only thing that keeps me from rating this one better is the short running time. Although Khors are of course not the only band to deliver a rather short album, I usually expect at least 45 up to 60 minutes on a full-album.
7,5/10 Criss