Artist: Draconian Key
Country: USA
Label: Ancient Spirit Terror
Formats: Demo Tape
Year: 2024
Although this demo tape is a little older than what I would usually still consider for a review, I think that ‘Mystic Rites Of The Oracle’ is well worth the attention. As far as I know, this demo never surfaced for online streaming anywhere and it was released by Ancient Spirit Terror, an underground entity that holds dear the old school values such as an 1999-type of website and ordering through email. Consequently, this debut demo might just have flown under your radar. But that would be a shame, especially if you are into moody and occult Black Metal that has much in common with the classic Hellenic sound.
The demo starts off with the title track and resembles how Dark Ambient used to sound around the turn of the millennium, exciting and medieval in character, as a true prelude of something great coming up. But, although the keyboards are present in the rest of the three tracks as well, they are reduced to more like some background humming with the occasional lead melody. Still, these keyboards, together with the mandatory programmed drums, give the music that ancient feeling of old Varathron and Necromantia.
But as opposed to those more known Greek Black Metal bands, Draconian Key seems to delve a little deeper into the mystic realms of the Greek scene from the early to mid-90’s. It is rather telling to read the “thanks” list: “Agatus, Zemial, Varathron, Nergal, Kawir, Fiendish Nymph, Tatir, Nar mataron, Vorphalack, Deviser…”. It is clear that this American trio are not going for the easiest way, not much of Rotting Christ here, it is definitely the occult and mysterious atmosphere of such bands as Agatus and Fiendish Nymph or even early The Elysian Fields that makes ‘Mystic Rites Of The Oracle’ such a truly compelling listen. Needless to say, this comes highly recommended.
