I stumbled about this album by chance. I played it once. I played it twice. I've been listening to it all day. It is one of those hidden gems I keep finding during my journey through metal. It is the answer to the question "What do you like about black metal?"
Këkht Aräkh is a one-man black metal project formed by Crying Orc (aka Dmytro Marchenko) in 2018. Crying Orc plays all the instruments and provides the vocals. Këkht Aräkh has so far released one demo in 2018, their first album Night & Love in 2019 and their second album Pale Swordsman in 2021.
Pale Swordsman lyrically deal with "the pale swordsman", a vampire, agonising over his fate.
The lyrics on this album deal with vampirism, nature, love, melancholy, death and loss and are not your typical black metal lyrics. And yet they are one of the most outstanding features of this album. You can understand the lyrics pretty well while listening to the tracks, if not, reading them is worth your time! The poetry of the lyrics fits the artwork of the album and the lo-fi production sound and pulls you into the world of our ancient vampire.
Pale Swordsman starts with a beautiful piano intro and the piano stays a prevalent instrument. The intro blends nicely in to the first full track Thorns, which features gentle guitars and black metal drumming. The song is flowing and throws you into this mood of total melancholy. The vocals are classic black metal vocals, very frail and rasping. The combination of the drumming and the piano totally got me right from the start. This song made me sit down and listen closely.
Thorn leads to the next track Night Descends, which yet again showcases raw black metal in its perfect form. Fast and relentess drumming with a very audible snare drum, lo-fi production, repetitive riffing, vocals dripping with despair. The line Wandering in the night, Pale Swordsman is dropped here for the first time and will be repeated throughout the album.
In the Garden is one of the two longest tracks on the album with 4:26 minutes and it tells the listener about the pale swordsman's despair with being immortal.
Breathing the fragrance of night
I long for the end
For stars to light up black skies
For a savior to lend me a hand
After those three rather classic black metal style songs, we get two instrumentals with Amor and Nocturne and this is what I love about this album. It gives you space, it allows you to get into the mood, the black metal rawness is so beautifully contrasted with those serene and melancholic piano parts.
Amid the Stars returns with more aggressive vocals and grunts and relentless drumming. The swordsman is going on a hunt and the atmosphere is changing.
Void-like womb embraces us
Fear is gone. Day is done
Shadow's here. No need to run
Lullabies for anyone
Lily is yet another instrumental interlude before Crystal tells the story about the vampire killing someone.
The final track on the album Swordsman is just one of the most beautiful songs I know. It is a lament, a tender piano piece and sung with clear vocals that come rather as a surprise.
For you, I rid myself of evil.
The lyrics are so beautiful, I just love everything about this song.
The albums closes with the same sort of piano melody as it started. It is perfect for listening to on repeat as I have done the last couple of days.
The moon floats across the black skies
No stars to be seen out tonight
New life, what it feels like
Snow falls, frozen tears hit the ground
Winds whispering their secrets
Wandering in the night, I keep them
For you, I rid myself of evil
Pale light gleams on my sword
I cut the night as I'm going forward
New life is what I long for
Since I can't bear my world anymore
Sorrow is my only feeling
Through this everlasting season
I'm going without any reason
Winds whispering their secrets
Wandering in the night, I keep them
For you, I rid myself of evil
Gathering the stars for you
I rid myself of evil
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