Artist: Sanguine Relic / Gates Of Dawn
Country: USA
Label: Death Hymns
Formats: Split 7″ EP
Year: 2025
This little piece of vinyl brings together two of the USA’s most popular Raw Black Metal bands, with Sanguine Relic being an important and extremely influential act in the uprising of Raw/Lo-Fi Black Metal of the last couple of years. Gates Of Dawn might be a little less prolific and iconic, it offers an interesting listen if you’re in for a bit of a more colorful sound palette. So, on paper, they fit well as a showcase of American-based Black Metal talent, while you can have your personal preferences, as I do, the one thing that sticks with me the most is the outrageous price charged for discs like this these days. Without shame, this is apparently allowed to cost between €15 and €20. We all know that vinyl prices have gone up, but not SO much that it justifies these prices. So, before you want to proceed to purchase, you may want to consider whether that price is worth just two songs (of less than twelve minutes playing time). You pay a lot extra for the cultish name of the bands and labels. As a fan of this format, I regard this sad development with sorrow…
Alright, having said that, onto the music then. First up is Sanguine Relic. While the band has strayed a little from its crudest roots with the most recent releases – as also documented in the other reviews I was able to write, this new track, ‘Into The Deadlands’, feels like a step backwards. Not in quality or in the overall musicianship, on the contrary even, but this song definitely sounds way more dark and harsh when compared to the latest few outputs. With the subtle use of keyboards, humming in the background, ‘Into The Deadlands’ definitely feels like we’re back at where the band started. Yet, at the very same time, its those keyboards and the advanced song writing (especially noticeable in the dynamics) it is abundantly clear that the band has progressed tremendously. Those early records, released by the cult Skjold label, had something very special that kickstarted a modest hype in the realm of Black Metal, but it is evident that over the years Sanguine Relic has advanced to a far more “mature” sounding act that justifies its status as standard bearer of the Raw/Lo-Fi Black Metal genre.
On the flipside there’s Gates Of Dawn’s contribution to the split, which is, if you listen to both songs in succession, quite a bit of a culture shock. Although by no means polished, the more atmospheric and cultured approach of Gates Of Dawn makes you need a few seconds to adjust to this rather different soundscape. Perhaps more inspired by bands like Katatonia, Forgotten Tomb, mid-era Anathema or even early Alcest, Gates Of Dawn offers a more moody and emotional ride. Even when the overall experience might still be considered Black Metal of the raw-ish side, the very strong melodic character of the music might prevent the “real” fan of Raw Black Metal to appreciate this. Despite my firm preference for the Sanguine Relic side, this is a great song honestly, I am happy that I don’t have to sit through a full-length.
