Bloodmoon
“Orenda”
2012
Let’s face it. If you are going to play black metal these days, you need to stand out among the crowd to get noticed, especially if you are from the United States. Sunny and warm southern California is a long way from the cold desolation the Norwegian tundra. Bloodmoon is a three-piece black metal act hailing from San Luis Obispo, California and even though they are thousands of miles away from the tundra, they inject the feeling of somber bitter cold in their first demo Orenda. This is an inventive and intensely interesting demo that achieves take-off speed but somehow doesn’t get off the ground. Combining elements from different sources of inspiration I would go so far as to call the progressive doom black metal. Each one of the six songs appearing on this demo is meticulously well constructed. This is not a demo built for the mosh pit. This is a thought-provoking demo that is meant to be enjoyed by people that appreciate metal as art. Bloodmoon perfectly nails the dark and heavy atmosphere. It is a grave feeling that works it’s way through all of Orenda. The demo wants to play with your emotions. It brings you up, and then it will swing you into sadness. Some intense musicianship and creative song writing, especially the artistically brilliant guitar work, punctuate all of this. The progressive elements show themselves in the way these songs are structured. The band can pull off a variety of sounds and jump between them flawlessly. From upbeat to doomy this group will make it work. My only problem with this demo is how it sounds. It sounds as though it was recorded in an icy cavern. The mix is off. The vocals are somewhat lacking in there power. All of the feelings and emotions from each song come through, but some of the musical essentials are lost in the shoddy recording. That is the only thing holding Orenda back. Bloodmoon have come out of the gate with a great demo that really shows this bands potential. This one might not have been a bull’s-eye, but it wasn’t far off. I expect and hope for big things in the future from Bloodmoon.
Tracklist:
1. What Lies Beyond
2. As a Wind
3. Come Whatever Storm
4. Orenda
5. Shallow Berth
6. Riding Eternity pt. I
https://www.facebook.com/bloodmoonmusic
Members:
Peter Tomis – Guitar/Vocals
Pat Mullholland – Bass
Jason Goldie – Drums/Vocals
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
~Kris