Layr - Hidden Realm (Lost Grave)

On his first proper full-length debut, Brian Magar (Pyroclastix, Denier, Albatwitch), the sole member of Layr, fuses black doom with his noise roots and stark religious imagery for an epic tome of warfare and decay.

Right as Hidden Realm begins, a black cloud forms in the distance. “Procession of the High Council,” one of several ambient minute-and-a-half bookends throughout the album, announces the impending darkness to come, but, when the war beats of “Battle Throne” start pounding, we know something sinister is truly on the horizon. Overdriven fuzz, electronic squelches and tormented, inhuman vocals, all driven by thunderous battle drums prove that this isn’t the safe pop metal of Metallica, it’s all out bloodthirsty destruction. “Hollow Be Thy Name,” featuring the ominous vocals of Tim Renner (timeMOTHeye, Albatwitch), comes across as a war-chant for some medieval monk cult, while the droning doom of “Serpentine Master” begins the agonizing descent into what will eventually become “Behind the Mask,” a near-ten-minute opus of Locrian noise, Throbbing Gristle waves and Swans intensity that pulverizes everything in its wake.

Appending the release are two early demos featuring cover artist Rebecca Zimmerman on drums. As loud and bombastic as they are, these songs, built from somewhat melodic chord progressions, are probably the catchiest Layr will ever get, though that’s not saying much as they’re still shimmering walls of furious sound.

Rather than follow the mold of every other black or doom metal band, Layr creates his own music on his own terms. The result is, quite simply, an astounding work of art that is powerful, deep and uncompromising. Take the skeletal hand in yours and let it guide you to the black…