Altar of Plagues - White Tomb (2009)

Fifteen years ago, if you had said that black metal would grow to become one of the most popular, and also most diverse metal genres, I'm sure you would have gotten quite a few strange looks. But now, black metal has grown to unheard-of popularity, and the amazing subtleties within the genre has both drawn in new fans and stratified those who claim one is better than the other. From the nasty, bedroom production of punk black to the ambient drones of 'forest black metal' to weird, blackened noise, it seems every month or so another band has come out with their version of the infamous 'black metal' tag.

So what is the Altar of Plagues approach to the genre? White Tomb, the first full length release from the Irish band, is an amazing fusion of atmospheric black metal of bands such as Wolves in the Throne Room (who this band cannot seem to avoid being compared to), the doom sounds of Khanate, and the crushing post-metal of bands such as Isis and Mouth of the Architect, and even a dash of down-tempo, blackened sludge thrown in. Confused yet?

Every minute of this sprawling four track album (divided into two separate parts, labeled 'Earth' and 'Through the Collapse') is a foray into the caustic destruction of the world, but from a bleak, inevitable, point of view. Haunting riffs emerge from flowing ambient feedback, masterfully working themselves into epic passages of droning, tortured black metal. The 'Earth' side of this album ('As a Womb', and 'As a Furnace'), while not itself innovative, is just atmospheric black metal done right. But it is the second part, 'Through the Collapse', where Altar of Plagues really shine, unleashing a track of skull-crushing sludge ('Watchers Restrained'), and then twisting feedback into a post-apocalyptic plea for help, bridging the two parts masterfully. And these days, when so many bands utilize ambience yet fail to actually put true work into it, the noise passage is a perfect fit, manipulating its sound right into the true blackened post-metal sounds of 'Gentian Truth', the track which defines this album. There's not much left to say; this is the soundtrack to the whimpering finality of human civilization, the last cries for help before the cities fall upon themselves, the last of humanity dies cold and starved, and the world begins healing its wounds.